Examination of Witnesses (Questions 100-104
MR ANDREW
FOSTER, MS
DEBBIE MELLOR,
MR KEITH
DERBYSHIRE AND
DR JUDY
CURSON
11 MAY 2006
Q100 Dr Stoate: But that was last
July, that is less than a year ago and now these people have received
letters from their trusts saying they cannot complete their training,
they can finish their current post, they are not going to be allowed
to apply for posts which come up. That is a very short timescale
for someone to rearrange their entire life.
Ms Mellor: There may be some lack
of awareness of the way the changes have been implemented and
we are trying to make sure that the guidance which NHS employers
have issued on this actually gets to the parts of the organisations
that really need to understand it. We are very clear that in introducing
this change we needed to have some transition arrangements, so
we worked very carefully with the Home Office, who were very helpful
and who agreed that we would have transitional arrangements. So
anybody who is in training will be able to switch into a work
permit from the permit-free arrangements, so that they will be
able to complete their training.
Q101 Dr Stoate: May I just clarify
that. Are you saying that they can not just complete the current
posts that they are employed for in the trusts, but they can complete
their entire training? This is not what I am getting from many
of these groups.
Ms Mellor: This is a very complex
area. Medical recruitment is complex and the work permit rules
and the immigration rules are equally complex. Rather than me
trying to give you an answer now in a couple of minutes, perhaps
I might write to you and set out the exact transitional arrangements.
If I may just confirm, yes, the arrangements that we put in place
are that there will be transitional arrangements so that people
who are in training programmes will be able to complete those
training programmes and international medical graduates will be
able to apply for posts, but, in common with everyone else in
the UK economy, we shall in future have what is called a resident
labour market test, which means that we have to check that we
cannot fill that post already with somebody who is a UK doctor
or, if they are suitable, a doctor from the EEA.
Q102 Dr Stoate: I should like this
clarified because it is causing a significant amount of upset
to a lot of highly motivated people who have based their lives
and their careers on what they thought was their prospect and
now it is not. I should very much like proper clarification on
that.
Ms Mellor: Yes; certainly.
Q103 Chairman: We should be very
grateful for that, but just tell us in your written answer whether
or not somebody who is actually in training is different from
somebody who is actually in the country looking for training.
This might be an area that you could give us a few views on as
well.
Ms Mellor: Yes.
Chairman: Okay? May I thank you all very
much indeed for coming along and helping us in our first session
in what is going to be quite a long inquiry? Thank you very much
indeed; you have certainly been very helpful.
Jim Dowd: Could we just add our very
best wishes to Mr Foster who has been a regular attender over
the past few years?
Q104 Chairman: Absolutely. I understand
you are joining us in the North West.
Mr Foster: Indeed; the best part
of the country.
Chairman: Thank you very much.
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