In response to a General Medical Council survey of specialty and specialist (SAS) and locally employed (LE) doctors, many recruited from overseas to work in the NHS, Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said:

"Trust leaders appreciate the huge contribution to our health services made by skilled SAS and LE doctors and work hard to support the wellbeing of all staff – recognising that there is always more to do to tackle inequalities and discrimination in the workforce.

"It's vital that no one in this diverse group of professionals feels left behind or that they are missing out on training opportunities and support. Everyone working for the NHS needs to feel valued and part of an organisation that offers the right learning and development opportunities to ensure better healthcare.

"Well trained, motivated and supported staff are not just good for high-quality patient care but are more likely to stay in the NHS which today has more than 125,000 vacancies."