What assessment has the Minister made of introducing a medical support worker role to aid those professionals from abroad without General Medical Council registration, as done in England?
NHS England created this role of medical support worker (MSW) for people with a medical qualification but who have been out of clinical practice for over a year and need to work under clinical supervision. It is also suitable for those who do not yet have General Medical Council (GMC) registration, for example international medical graduates or refugee doctors currently living in the UK. It is likely that some doctors employed as MSWs may be suitable to convert to long-term employees who progress their medical careers in the NHS.
I understand the GMC has recently spoken to NHS England and individual NHS trusts in England about how it can support doctors in this new role as they make their application for registration. It has discussed how the GMC can increase flexibility around registration evidence requirements for this group of professionals as they’ve been employed in the NHS under close supervision in a role which requires the holder to have an MB BS or equivalent.
The GMC has delivered sessions to MSWs at a number of NHS trusts in England covering an introduction to medical regulation in the UK and common ethical issues those new to UK practice can face, and answering their questions about the registrations process.
The NHS in Wales has not introduced the MSW role into its workforce, but the changes the GMC is making to introduce flexibility for this group would apply wherever they are ultimately based in the UK.