Medical brain drain
As the economic downturn continues in Europe, other countries will begin to be more attractive options for living; English-speaking countries (e.g. US or Australia) will be particularly popular for UK doctors. This, combined with new regulations that make it harder for medical graduates from outside Europe to work in the UK, will contribute to medical ‘brain drain’, as it will be harder to attract/keep students.
The NHS is suffering a ‘brain drain’ of doctors. Graduates who have been trained in the UK choose to pursue their careers overseas or change careers. Destinations such as Australia and New Zealand are popular, and more medical professionals choose to move permanently.
Tracking the numbers of medical professionals leaving and returning to the UK is difficult because of a lack of data, but records indicate that the number of requests for certificates of good standing, idead by the GMC and required for working abroad, have steadily increased over the past five years. This is supported by trends in numbers of permanent foreign visas idead to UK-trained doctors.
Reasons for emigrating are varied. Studies on emigrant British doctors in New Zealand have found them to have a higher satisfaction with their jobs and lifestyle than their UK-based contemporaries. It was found that there is an increasing trend of disillusion with the NHS and overall UK health and social care system among those who leave. According to a study by the Financial Times, doctors at all levels complain of an overly bureaucratic NHS, where they lack control. There is also more competition within the UK from growing numbers of students, which has outstripped the availability of posts.
This is compounded by fears that doctors who have originally immigrated to the UK from countries such as India will return to their home countries, having qualified and practiced in the UK.
Proposed workforce impact
- Under supply of medics and other clinicians
- Increases in the number of people in lower skilled positions
Sources or references
- Interviews with healthcare professionals as part of the CfWI’s Medical and Dental Student Intakes project, 2012
- Sharma, A, 2011, Why UK-trained doctors leave the UK: cross-sectional survey of doctors in New Zealand
- http://oecdbetterlifeindex.org/#/11111111111
- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5063a2a0-b651-11e1-8ad0-00144feabdc0.html#axzz27yM77a30
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6931303/NHS-brain-drain-fears-raised-by-appeal-to-Indian-doctors.html
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/6261469/Britain-slips-out-of-top-20-best-countries-to-live-in.html
Additional research questions
- What other factors may trigger a medical ‘brain drain’?
- What is the likelihood of this event occurring?
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
