EURO DOCS SHUN NHS..
4,000 fewer come to UK after Brexit
MORE than 4,000 European doctors have opted not to work in the NHS after Brexit.
According to analysis from the Nuffield Trust health think-tank, the pre-Brexit number of doctor specialists working in the NHS last year was forecast to be 41,321.
But the research shows the actual figure was 37,035 – more than 4,000 less than pre-Brexit projections.
The Nuffield Trust says that while the effect is “subtle”, it is “inarguable” that registration of doctors from the EU “was slower in the years after 2016 than the years before”.
The analysis shows the NHS has 394 fewer EU anaesthetists, 369 fewer cardiothoracic surgeons, 288 fewer paediatricians and
165 fewer psychiatrists than if pre-Brexit trends had been maintained.
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It comes as figures from the NHS show there are 10,582 medical vacancies across England alone.
Trust researcher Martha McCarey said the drop-off could be a result of extra bureaucracy and higher costs after Brexit.
She said: “Since the referendum campaign, greater costs, more paperwork and uncertainty over visas have been among the biggest barriers to recruiting and keeping EU doctors.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “This analysis is inaccurate and we don’t recognise or agree with its key conclusions. We are making significant progress in training and recruiting a record number of nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals.
“There are over 9,000 more nurses working in the NHS and there are over 26,000 more hospital doctors now than in 2016.”