• The BBC reports on a warning by leaders of more than 30 trusts that immigration rules are hampering the ability of the NHS to recruit doctors.
• They have written to Jeremy Hunt and Amber Rudd asking them to look urgently into the problem.
• NHS Providers says the problem is deeply frustrating for trusts.

The BBC reports NHS trust leaders as saying that increasing numbers of doctors are being refused permission to work in the UK.

The number of skilled non-EU workers granted UK visas is capped.

Responding to reports about immigration rules hampering the ability of the NHS to recruit doctors, the workforce policy advisor at NHS Providers, Paul Myatt, said:

There needs to be a new sense of urgency to find a solution so that trusts can recruit the staff they need to care for patients.

“Faced with shortages of doctors, recruiting internationally is one of the few options available to trusts in the short-term. It’s deeply frustrating for trusts and doctors that when a job offer has been made, after considerable time and expense, trusts are repeatedly being declined the certificates of sponsorship needed for doctors to get work visas. For the trust it means unfilled vacancies which often have to be filled by paying premium locum rates. For doctors, they may give up on working in the NHS and decide to work in another country. We appreciate that discussions are taking place within government about this issue, but there needs to be a new sense of urgency to find a solution so that trusts can recruit the staff they need to care for patients.”