International GP Recruitment Programme

OVERVIEW

A key commitment in the General Practice Forward View (GPFV) published in April 2016 is to strengthen the workforce. This includes recruiting suitably qualified overseas doctors into general practice.

While GP training places are increasing year-on-year and many GPs are returning to practise, some practices continue to face recruitment issues and newly qualified GPs are often working temporarily at a practice (known as a locum) rather than joining as a permanent GP. Some older GPs are also leaving the profession early. This is leaving a gap between the number of GPs that practices want, and the numbers they are successfully recruiting and retaining.

That is why, in addition to other ways we are expanding the workforce, we are working with partners to recruit overseas GPs into general practice.

The principles of recruitment are:

• GPs will need to meet the highest standards of practice and speak good English
• Recruitment will be bound by the World Health Organisation Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel
• The NHS will look to attract UK-trained doctors back to the UK wherever possible and UK-trained doctors will not be disadvantaged as a result
• The NHS will target those countries where there is likely to be the best chance of recruiting GPs to work in England