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Indian doctors stranded in UK after qualifying test cancelled
Organisations supporting Indian and other international doctors are raising funds to meet food and accommodation costs of such doctors, who came to appear for Part 2 of the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test after clearing Part 1 in India.
Several Indian doctors who arrived in the UK in March to appear for a test to qualify and take up jobs in the National Health Service (NHS) have been stranded after it was cancelled and are unable to return home due to lockdown in India and the UK.
Organisations supporting Indian and other international doctors are raising funds to meet food and accommodation costs of such doctors, who came to appear for Part 2 of the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test after clearing Part 1 in India.
Regulator General Medical Council (GMC) cancelled the Part 2 scheduled in Manchester in the week beginning March 18 as the coronavirus situation worsened in the UK. Passing both parts qualifies doctors gaining medical qualifications outside the UK and the European Union to register with GMC and take up jobs in the UK.
The stranded doctors have run out of money and are being supported by organisations such as the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (Bapio) and the British International Doctors Association (BIDA). Nearly 20,000 pounds have been raised.
Bapio president Ramesh Mehta said a group headed by Raka Maitra is helping the stranded doctors. The unregistered doctors can apply for support roles in hospitals, but Mehta said they did not have experience of working in the UK, particularly when the coronavirus pandemic is challenging health systems.
Jasvir Arora from Delhi, who graduated from Manipal said: “This situation has been rather challenging. I resigned from my job in India and came here to give the PLAB 2 so I don’t have any source of income at the moment”.
“It is very disheartening to not be able to work and help out when the people need us the most. The Indian high commission has enquired about our current situation and gathered data about visa validity etc. We’re being generously supported by the Bapio group”.
The GMC said it is aware of the situation in a statement to Hindustan Times: “We know this is a challenging time for doctors who travelled to the UK for an exam. PLAB 1 is still running as normal, with the next test scheduled for June”.
“We also expect PLAB 2 exams will be back up and running in July - as long as it is safe to do so - with extra dates to maximise capacity for anyone who missed out. Those doctors whose exams were cancelled will have their fee returned to them, so there shouldn’t be any financial penalty for cancelled sessions”.
“We’re also encouraging as yet unregistered doctors to apply for NHS England’s new Medical Support Worker role, which doesn’t require registration. This paid role allows doctors who’ve passed an English test (OET/IELTS) to do some clinical tasks under supervision,” the spokesperson added.
Shiv Pande, former BIDA chairman, said since India also badly needs doctors to deal with the pandemic, Indian authorities may consider helping the doctors stranded in Manchester to return home, instead of depending on support here. Doctors gaining qualifications in India constitute the second largest group employed in the NHS after those with qualifications in the UK.
