Analysis of GMC Report published 28 November 2024
The General Medical Council (GMC) has raised concerns about the increasing number of locally employed (LE) doctors in the UK, warning that their skills may be underutilized due to limited training and career progression opportunities. LE doctors, who are not in formal postgraduate training programs, have grown by 75% between 2019 and 2023 in England and Wales, with over two-thirds having qualified outside the UK.
GMC Chief Executive Charlie Massey emphasized the need for better integration and support for these doctors to ensure high-quality patient care. He stated, “Without changing the way we think about training, the UK risks sleepwalking into a situation where these doctors are overlooked and undervalued, to the detriment of good patient care.”
The GMC’s report also highlights that the overall number of doctors in the UK has risen at the fastest rate in over a decade, largely due to international recruits, particularly from India and Pakistan. However, the infrastructure to train and support this growing and diverse workforce is struggling to keep pace, necessitating urgent action to provide proper access to training and development.
Additionally, the report notes that the UK now has more doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds than white doctors, with a significant increase in doctors from Asian or Asian British backgrounds. This demographic shift underscores the importance of addressing any forms of discrimination or unfairness in doctors’ working lives to ensure all can reach their full potential.
The GMC is calling for concerted efforts to provide inductions, integration, and inclusion vital for doctors to thrive in the UK, as well as tailored training and development opportunities to support both internationally qualified and newly qualified doctors. This approach is deemed essential for job satisfaction and retaining the healthcare workforce to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population.
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