Better remuneration and fewer work demands are enticing hundreds of UK GPs to look for work in countries such as Australia, doctors say. Figures obtained by UK GP publication Pulse show there has been a 39% hike in GPs applying for Certificates of Good Standing (CGS) from the country’s medical regulator, which are needed to apply for overseas roles.
Last year, 722 UK GPs applied for these certificates, up from 521 in 2008, with anecdotal evidence suggesting they are heading to Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The exodus is being blamed on the grind that has become the National Health Service (NHS).
Speaking to Pulse magazine, Dr Tony Grewal, a medical secretary at GP professional body Londonwide Local Medical Committees, said: “Doctors are fleeing the sinking ship”.
Workload, income and respect are all moving in the wrong direction, and GPs are moving in the direction of their choice; the Antipodes. A GP who worked in Manchester for 12 years and has recently moved to Perth, says he moved to escape the “endless” after-hours demands placed on him in the UK. “Since I’ve been [in Australia] it’s been much easier. Consultation time is longer, there’s less paperwork and correspondence is online, which saves a lot of time,” he told 6minutes. “When I was in the UK, I never got home before seven and there was always a lot of work pending.” Spending more than five hours a week writing referrals in the evening — which he now does during consultations — was not uncommon, he said, If pressures on UK GPs continued, the NHS could expect a further exodus., Dr Olivier added. What do you think?
This article was published by Kate Cowling from 6Minutes on1 August 2013
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