‘Exploited’ foreign doctors’ anxiety over risk to UK patients

Doctors recruited from some of the world’s poorest countries to work in hospitals throughout the UK say they’re being exploited and are concerned they are so overworked they fear putting patients’ safety at risk.

An investigation by the BBC has found evidence that doctors from Nigeria are being recruited by a British healthcare company and working in private hospitals under conditions not allowed in the NHS.

The British Medical Association has described the situation as “shocking”, adding that the sector needs to be brought in line with NHS working practices.

The BMA and front-line lobbying group the Doctors’ Association recently released the findings of a questionnaire put to 188 Resident Medical Officers and found that 92 per cent had been recruited from Africa, most of whom, 81 per cent, were from Nigeria.  The majority complained about excessive working hours and unfair salary deductions.

The World Health Organisation has consistently warned against the “active recruitment” of medical staff from developing countries with critical shortages of medical personnel.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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