NHS tries to lure ‘cut-price’ US medics with holiday offers

‘CUT-PRICE’ medics are being lured to the UK from the United States with promises of long holidays touring Europe, in a bid to plug widespread staffing shortages.

The NHS is attempting to train or recruit up to 3,200 “physician associates” who can carry out minor operations and carry out ward rounds after just two years’ training.

The new role is not supposed to substitute for a doctor, though the associates can carry out some of the tasks they normally do. Senior medics have raised concerns that the new profession is unregulated, while patients’ groups fear risks if workers end up taking on tasks beyond their capabilities.

The National Physician Associate Expansion Programme is particularly targeting the US, which has more than 100,000 such workers.

The NHS’ generous holiday allowance would allow American workers ample time to visit historic sites and exciting cities across Britain, and enjoy jaunts around Europe, it says.

The programme has drawn up plans to recruit “a large number” of physician assistants from the US and place them in four regions in England for two years. American healthcare workers are promised up to £1,000 towards relocation costs, and 41 days paid holiday.

There are currently 350 physician associates working in the NHS, with plans to introduce up to 3,200 by 2020, with an extra 1,000 a year after that, The starting salary of £30,000 is half that of a newly-qualified GP.

Joyce Robins, from Patient Concern, said: “It sounds like they are trying to plug the gaps with second-class medics. It is most unsatisfactory and disappointing from a patient point of view.”