§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many doctors since 1 May 1999 have been entitled to participate in induction courses for overseas doctors; and how many have done so; [15326]
(2) what proportion of overseas doctors working on the wards in UK hospitals have participated in induction courses at the latest available date. [15327]
§ Mr. HuttonWe expect all doctors, whether from abroad or the United Kingdom, to get the induction they need from their national health service employers when they take up post. We do not hold information centrally on the number of doctors who have participated in local induction.
413WIn addition to the induction offered by NHS trusts to their employees, the Department is actively promoting good induction practice by funding an induction scheme for doctors from outside the UK. This is run via postgraduate deaneries in association with NHS professionals. Postgraduate deaneries ran a formal pilot of the induction courses in 1999, and we began funding the scheme in 2000. So far approximately 600 foreign doctors have been taken through the overseas doctors induction scheme.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take to change the residence requirements for funding of GP training for overseas doctors; and if he will make a statement. [13852]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 12 November 2001]: We have today changed these requirements. Overseas doctors are now eligible for National Health Service funding for general practitioner training.
This move will support our drive to increase GP numbers. We know that there are overseas doctors—some currently working in the United Kingdom—who are keen to train for a career in general practice. Out-of-date restrictions have previously excluded such doctors from NHS funding. We have now removed these restrictions and are taking immediate steps to recruit more doctors into GP training.