Tuesday, May 30 2006 10:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: An Association of NRI doctors in the UK has initiated a legal challenge to the British Government against its new ruling abolishing permit-free training for international medical graduates and the alleged discrimination against non-EU medicos, mostly Indians, in recruitment for the National Health Service.

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) has sent letters of intent to the Department of Health and Home office to give two weeks notice before filing the case in the High Court, Dr Ramesh Mehta, president of BAPIO, said here today.

The legal challenge is against the new ruling abolishing permit-free training for international medical graduates (IMGs).

"The new rules introduced by the Department of Health without adequate consultations, prevent National Health Service Trusts from recruiting junior doctors from outside the EU unless they can demonstrate that no UK/EU doctor is available to fill the post," Mehta said.

"BAPIO has also informed the Commission for Racial Equality that the Department of Health so far has shown no evidence that it has conducted a thorough Race Equality Impact Assessment required by the statute," he said.

Earlier, over 500 doctors, mostly NRIs, had demonstrated in front of the Department of Health on April 21 but the government is yet to respond to their demands, the BAPIO said.

Mehta said the sudden introduction of the new rule has affected thousands of doctors already on permit-free training here in the UK.

"They have been given no time to adjust to the consequences of the change. Some doctors are yet to find their first post in the UK while many others have already completed substantial amount of their training here and now find they may have to leave before completing their training," he said.

Mehta also said, "Discriminatory job advertisements have been issued by a number of NHS Trusts effectively barring IMG doctors from even applying for jobs."

"The sudden implementation of this unjust ruling with no prior warning is causing immense distress to thousands of doctors and disrupting their careers. BAPIO is under enormous pressure from members to demand urgent review of the situation and provide practical solution to reduce uncertainty impacting on their career," Mehta added.

Dr R Lakshman, an advisor to BAPIO, said, "NHS needs to recruit professional staff based on merit and not nationality to provide best service to the patients. The new ruling undervalues the contribution made by doctors from new commonwealth for decades."

"A petition signed by over 6500 doctors demanding the Department of Health to change its ruling has been blatantly ignored. It is regrettable that a department of government had seen it fit to turn a deaf ear to common sense demands. We are left with no option but to challenge it legally," said Dr Satheesh Mathew, consultant paediatrician and Secretary of the BAPIO's London division who coordinated the earlier peaceful demonstration.