Post-Graduate Medical Training

HC Deb 25 May 1971 vol 818 cc214-5

15. Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has read the evidence in the British Journal of Medical Education, which is in his possession, on post-graduate medical training facilities being made available to immigrant doctors who, in relation to conditions in their own countries, derive little benefit from them; and if he will use his influence in the interests alike of developing countries and of British medical students deprived of places of which they could make use, to ameliorate this situation.

Sir K. Joseph

I am aware of the article to which my hon. Friend refers. I have no evidence that British doctors are unable to obtain the post-graduate training they need because of the facilities afforded to overseas doctors.

Mr. King

Would it not be selfish if Great Britain, with a ratio of about one doctor to 800 patients, were to make a special effort to attract doctors from developing countries where the ratio may be 1 to 7,000? Whilst there is a desperate need for doctors at grass roots level in developing countries, the sophisticated postgraduate techniques which some of them are taking up scarce medical facilities here to learn can, when they return to their own countries, often be applied only to a small gaggle of wealthy people. Is not this a waste of medical resources and perhaps of medical education?

Sir K. Joseph

But in a free world people tend to move where their services are needed and paid for. We must be grateful, while recognising the damage and loss to the developing countries, for the services of many of their doctors in this country, remembering that some of our doctors go to other markets.

Dr. Summerskill

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that, although we are grateful to immigrant doctors for keeping our hospitals going, we should be educating more medical students who have the qualifications to go to medical school but cannot obtain the places, and thus increasing our output of doctors?

Sir K. Joseph

Yes, Sir. We are increasing the number and size of medical schools, and, therefore, the output of doctors. However, it takes some years to raise the output of doctors, as we all know.