Doctors Forced to Work for NHS for 5 Years

Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary, is set to unveil the largest ever expansion of the NHS medical workforce—training an extra 1,500 doctors annually to ensure Britain is less reliant on overseas medics post-Brexit.

Background & Rationale

Currently, 35% of NHS doctors were born abroad, making the UK the most dependent major EU nation on foreign medical staff. Training a doctor in the UK costs taxpayers £230,000 (excluding tuition fees). Despite this investment, self-employed GPs can earn in excess of £100,000 per year, especially those engaged in consultancy or holding multiple NHS contracts.

Health officials argue that expanding home-grown expansion will:

• Reduce future reliance on expensive locum and agency doctors.
• Provide more training places for budding medics turned away due to capacity limits.
• Ensure a sustainable, self-sufficient medical workforce for years to come.

The “Return of Service” Programme

Under the proposed return of service programme—modeled on armed forces schemes—newly qualified doctors would commit to working in the NHS for a minimum of five years. Key elements include:

• Annual reduction of student debt proportional to years served.
• Repayment of training costs if medics leave before the term ends.
• Exemptions for circumstances such as maternity leave or medical incapacity.

A public consultation will explore options ranging from a two-year to a five-year service period, seeking feedback on the proportion of costs to be repaid.

Training Expansion Details

From the 2018/19 academic year, the number of undergraduate medical training places will rise from 6,000 to 7,500—a 25% increase. This move aims to:

• Offer more opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds.
• Reduce dependence on overseas recruitment.
• Maintain value for money given the high cost of training.

Laura Donnelly, Health Editor at The Telegraph, reports that these measures form part of a broader strategy “to create the safest healthcare system in the world.”

Potential Impact & Stakeholder Views

Professor Ian Cumming, Chief Executive of Health Education England, welcomes the expansion as “a clear commitment to a sustainable, home-grown medical workforce.” He highlights that almost all UK-trained doctors already serve in the NHS for more than four years.

However, a recent poll by the General Medical Council found 60% of doctors are considering leaving the UK, with nine in ten citing Brexit as a factor. The consultation will assess whether mandatory service bonds might exacerbate recruitment challenges.

Next Steps

The Department of Health and Social Care will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks to gather views on:

1. Length of the service commitment.
2. Proportion of training costs to be repaid.
3. Exemption criteria and special cases.

Feedback will shape final policy proposals ahead of implementation in 2018.

For further information on the NHS workforce expansion and related updates, visit our Health Service section.