Pay, policy and pressure - Why Indian doctors are quitting the UK

Pay, policy and pressure - Why Indian doctors are quitting the UK New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Among the shared history, food, and architecture, India and the United Kingdom are also connected through a deeply immersed force of healthcare professionals. But what was once considered a deliberate choice of destination - a place to build a home away from home - no longer remains the same for Indians, especially for the medical professionals facing the impact of recent policy changes in the UK. Speaking to PTI, senior doctors of Indian origin working in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) said many Indian health professionals are choosing to leave the UK - not out of dissatisfaction with clinical work, but because financial and immigration pressures have made the UK a less viable long-term option. Recommended Stories The doctors interviewed for this report spoke in their personal capacity and did not represent the views of the NHS or their employer. Indian government data presented during the Winter Session of Parliament showed that Health and Care Worker visas issued to Indian nationals fell by about 67 per cent, with a sharper decline of nearly 79 per cent among nursing professionals. Rajay Narain, a senior NHS cardiologist with more than 20 years of experience, told PTI many Indian health professionals are choosing to leave the UK as countries such as Australia, Canada and parts of the Middle East are offering significantly higher pay and clearer long-term pathways. “Many graduates are leaving the UK as salaries there are lower compared with those offered in some European countries. Recent data indicate that Indian-origin healthcare professionals are increasingly choosing to work abroad, attracted by better pay, higher standards of living, and comparatively lower taxes," Dr Narain said. As a professional working with the NHS for two decades, Dr Narain recalled how it was once regarded as one of the leading healthcare systems globally. “Over time, however, it has faced numerous challenges, including long waiting lists for patients requiring procedures," he said, adding that many no longer see long-term career prospects in the UK, and several British-Indian professionals are even returning to India in search of improved opportunities. The NHS was established in the UK in 1948, following the Second World War, as part of major social reforms. India’s contribution was significant, rooted in the historical links from the British Empire era when medical training in the subcontinent was modelled on British standards, and Indian medical degrees were recognised by the UK’s GMC until 1975. One of the main factors behind Indian-origin healthcare professionals leaving the UK is that successive governments, regardless of political affiliation, have committed to reducing net migration, said Radiologist Sanjay Gandhi, who is a part of the NHS in the South-West UK. “However, as controlling illegal immigration has proven difficult, legal migrants, including those working in the NHS, often face the impact of these policies. Another factor is the growing competition from locally trained doctors. Although the number of medical graduates has risen, training...

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