Thousands of foreign doctors could be recruited to help break crippling NHS strikes
THOUSANDS of foreign doctors could be recruited to help end the crippling NHS strikes.
Health Minister Steve Barclay is considering temporarily hiring foreign doctors.
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He could ask the General Medical Council to speed up registrations and get them up and running early next Year.
The option is being discussed in Whitehall but there is no official plan.
Such a move would need to be approved by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, with most doctors likely to come from India.
There have been long-term industrial action by specialists and junior doctors.
The British Medical Association union is calling for a 35 percent pay rise for junior doctors.
Last night a Whitehall source said doctors abroad could improve coverage, limit strikes, make up for lost earnings through overtime and generally help provide a better service.
They said: “We are now regularly limited to Christmas insurance which doesn’t even cover vital services like chemotherapy. This is simply unacceptable.”
The BMA says members are prepared to continue the strike beyond the next election.