thousands want to move abroad

Thousands of doctors could be considering leaving UK practice and moving abroad, according to new research from the General Medical Council.

The GMC surveyed more than 3,000 doctors asking how likely they were to move abroad to practice medicine in the next 12 months, and 13% said this was very likely. A further 17 percent said this possibility was possible.

If these groups were to leave the UK, this would amount to 96,000 doctors leaving the UK in the next year, the GMC estimated.

GMC chief executive Charlie Massey said the findings were a “stark reminder of the challenges” health trusts face in England, adding that health leaders should use the insights to target interventions and improve conditions.

The GMC’s annual report for 2023 showed that the number of doctors joining the UK workforce was double the number leaving each year since 2019, but not enough to keep up with the workload or increase in those leaving.

Its latest research found that there are six groups of doctors based on their views on staying in the UK health service: those with “high dissatisfaction” who are most likely to leave in the next year; critics who are concerned about working conditions and the UK health system; those who burned; those who are interested in the career advancement benefits of moving abroad; doctors who are open to opportunities and can seek new challenges abroad; and those who are happy in England.

The GMC advises healthcare managers to focus on the three highest dissatisfaction groups, as this may have the greatest chance of increasing staff retention.

More than 75% of doctors reported feeling professionally undervalued, saying they were worried about pay.

Junior doctors went on strike for five days in February – the 10th round of junior doctor strike action – after the Department of Health failed to put a new pay offer on the table.

The GMC inquiry also questioned more than 1,100 doctors who had moved abroad since 2018. One in five had moved to Australia, and one in 10 had moved to New Zealand. Almost a third returned to their home country after a period working in the NHS.

Massey added: “Although the number of doctors leaving to practice abroad in 2023 was very low, these results are a warning to all if the situation fails to improve.

“It is easier to prevent someone from leaving by acting on concerns, than to persuade them to return.

“There are no easy fixes, but these results show the urgency with which we must act. We must work together as a system to make the right changes so that the talented professionals who keep our nation well can feel supported to continue working in the UK.

HR Opportunities in Health Care for Employees Today

Explore more HR opportunities in healthcare