Cheshirechappie":6orw3x0n said:
That does raise some interesting questions. For example, why are we incapable of training enough of our own medical staff? What gives us the right to go about other countries poaching their trained (presumably at great expense) best people? Do Spain, Ireland and Greece have a surplus of good medics they don't need, or are we taking staff their populations really could do with? If they have trained a surplus, how come they're so much better at training enough people than we are?
1 - Complex and not easily answered properly, but in a couple of lines, it's hard just to get in to a Doctor course (excellent grades and work experience needed) and expensive (5 years degree) at a cost of £9k per year plus standard uni expenses. After 2008 some training positions were cut and it takes a long time to train a nurse or doctor. The number of complex (eg heart problem and diabetic) patients needing the NHS is increasing, especially older patients, though the increase in obese people in the population in general doesn't help, so more Nurses/Doctors are needed. Then also there's a portion of Drs (not massive) who come through the training, qualify but can't cope with the workload / don't want to cope with the workload, so leave. Finally where we need doctors (and nurses) are often the places where it's hardest so people either don't go into it or don't stay there. eg A&E, Nights (especially Nights).
2 - No right, but they come here cause the money is good.
3 - They don't have a surplus. Other countries have the same problem as we do, however we pay well and the NHS is highly regarded internationally. Also the UK standard of living is high compared to other countries. Which is why there's a reasonable number of Filipino Nurses in the NHS.
4 - No surplus, we're stealing their medical staff.
