Medical Training Prioritisation Bill: What International Medical Graduates (IMGs) Need to Know

Recently, there has been some concern amongst IMG communities with a proposed new piece of legislation, which, if it becomes law, may affect the way some doctors apply for UK postgraduate medical training.

This article explains why a bill is being considered, who it may affect, where it currently sits in the legislative process, and why now remains a sensible time for IMGs to apply for GMC registration, UK training and continuing with appraisals.

After reading this article, if you would like to discuss this topic further with Dr Appraisals, or if you have any questions about the potential impact of this on your appraisal, then please do email us at [email protected].

What is the Medical Training Prioritisation Bill?

The broad intention of the bill is to manage the very high number of applications for UK postgraduate training posts by introducing a list of priority groups. In recent years, some specialties have seen extremely high application numbers, placing pressure on recruitment systems as well as driving numbers taking national exams.

The bill is still in discussion and must still pass through several stages, including approval through the House of Commons and then House of Lords before achieving Royal Assent.

Even if the bill does pass, implementation would take time. Training and recruitment bodies would need time to adopt the necessary changes and serve required notice periods to prospective applicants during a period of transition.

Who Would be Prioritised Under the Bill?

Based on suggested proposals and policy briefings, prioritisation will be dependent on the training pathway applied for. We will explore some of the draft priority categories now.

For Foundation Programme applicants, the suggested priority groups may include:

• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded by a medical school in the UK
• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded in the Republic of Ireland
• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded in Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein

For Specialty Training applicants the suggested priority groups may include:

• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded by a medical school in the UK
• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded in the Republic of Ireland
• Doctors whose primary medical qualification was awarded in Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein
• Doctors who have completed, or are currently enrolled in, a recognised UK training programme, such as Foundation Training, Core Training or Higher Specialty Training
• British citizens
• Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode in the UK under the Immigration Act 1971
• Irish citizens who do not require leave to enter or remain in the UK
• Doctors with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
• Doctors who have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom by virtue of the residence scheme immigration rules within the meaning given by section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

One of the key take-home messages for IMGs to consider and gain confidence in is that, even if this bill does pass, it has no impact on IMGs obtaining GMC registration, holding a licence to practise, and working as a doctor in the UK.  Service roles, locally employed and Trust grade doctors, fellow jobs, locums, specialty, associate specialist, and specialist (SAS), as well as consultants and GPs, would not be affected.

These groups make up the majority of the medical workforce and represent most of the jobs in the UK. Let’s look at some workforce data below:

Consultants and GPs (i.e. those who are on the specialist register or performers list and have completed CCT / CESR / CEGPR) = 156,000 doctors, equating to 50% of the workforce.

Doctors in non-training roles = 80,700 doctors, equating to 26% of the workforce.

Doctors in training roles = 75,600 doctors, equating to 24% of the workforce. This is the only potential group that the bill would affect.

What Does This Mean for IMGs?

The UK remains heavily reliant on international doctors. In many areas, IMGs make up the majority of the medical workforce, and this is openly acknowledged within national workforce planning discussions.

The proposed bill is in no way a ban on IMGs and is rather an attempt to manage the training bottleneck in training applications.

In practice, many IMGs enter the UK workforce through service posts, gain NHS experience, build evidence both for appraisals and future applications, and later move into training once eligible and competitive. That pathway remains open.

Why Acting Now Still Makes Sense

Because the bill is not yet law, and because implementation would take time even if passed, the current environment remains favourable for IMGs to apply for doctor jobs in the UK, whether these are training or non-training roles.

Delaying carries more uncertainty than proceeding now. Doctors who already hold registration, appraisal history and UK experience are likely to be better placed regardless of how policy evolves.

Final Comments

It may feel unsettling for international doctors looking to move to the UK whilst this bill is being drafted, but hopefully this article corrects some of the misinformation that is being seen in some of the headlines and rumours, and provides further clarity on the Medical Training Prioritisation Bill

To conclude:

• The bill is not guaranteed. The bill still has to go through several parliamentary and legislative processes before it can become law.
• If passed, it would take time to implement.
• Only ~24% of UK doctor jobs would be affected (see above)
• Access to future training pathways would remain open to international doctors.

If you need support with GMC-compliant appraisal, portfolio building, or early UK experience, Dr Appraisals is here to help. Please do reach out to us and one of our experienced Appraisers will get back to you.