NHS
Carmen beats the locum logjam
With general-practice opportunities limited to locum posts in her native Spain, Dr Carmen [full name withheld] decided to turn to England to boost her professional future. For Carmen, the radical move offered the opportunity to improve her English, as well as giving her an exciting new experience and the challenge of a new culture.
GMC letter
Carmen trained as a GP in Spain, but the country is logjammed with qualified doctors. That’s why she was so interested to receive a letter from the General Medical Council in London. Carmen was immediately interested in learning more about the NHS in England, and soon accepted a post in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Before moving to England, Carmen’s English was good enough “only to go shopping”. English lessons provided by the Trust helped a lot, but Carmen felt more support on medical words would have been useful. These and other factors are all now features of the work of the authority’s international recruitment team, which aims to make coming to work in this country very smooth for doctors and their families.
NHS accommodation
Carmen was impressed by her NHS accommodation, which was available for up to three months, and bought her time while she looked for somewhere more permanent to live.
On the professional side, Carmen thoroughly enjoys her surgery and practice, and revels in the stability of seeing the same patients, “which is just not an option in Spain”. She feels that she is lucky to be part of an excellent team, and to work in such a good atmosphere. Like many other Spanish doctors, Carmen believes that the ability to develop specialist interests, such as minor surgery, is one of the main selling-points of the British system. That, and the chance to focus on a core group of patients - a luxury denied to Spanish locums.
administrative support
Carmen is also a convert to the NHS’ excellent administrative support and quality social services, and is pleased that she has been able to attend so many courses to update her skills. She does, however, feel that there is “a desperate need for more GPs. I can’t understand the Government not tackling it more. We need to open up medical schools to more people.”
All in all, Carmen is a great believer in the system of British immigration for doctors. She also believes that the support of the authority in helping her settle in could be a major factor for others considering a similar move
t: Nigel,
+44 (0)1772 435827
m: 07745 092037
e: nigel@mightier-than.com