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*Britain’s “crazy doctors” problem* The challenges facing international students are just the tip of the iceberg.
Originally posted on LinkedIn on August 13, 2025.
Britain’s “crazy doctors” problem The challenges facing international students are just the tip of the iceberg. I’m hearing from young NHS doctors who want to stay in the UK but feel it would be “crazy” to do so. They’re seeing overseas roles with more manageable schedules, better staffing, and pay that allows them to live comfortably. At this rate, the UK risks keeping the chaos and losing its doctors. The data aren’t subtle. The General Medical Council finds 1 in 5 doctors intend to leave UK practice; ~15% have already applied abroad or spoken to recruiters (GMC report: https://lnkd.in/dKbYQZuG). Only 39% feel they can progress their careers as they’d like—hardly a retention strategy. It’s not just hospitals. In universities, 57% of the research workforce would strongly consider working outside the UK within five years (UKRI: https://lnkd.in/dfUfUJfW). You might think, given what’s happening in the US, their academics would flood here. They aren’t. People move towards stability and resources, not just away from turmoil. What would actually keep people here? My shortlist: ✅ Pay that’s recognisable, not gold-plated ✅ Safe staffing and protected training time ✅ Predictable rotas so a life is possible ✅ In academia: sensible migration rules and stable funding over performative bureaucracy If you could fix one thing tomorrow to keep doctors in the UK, what would it be? Sources for the headline stats: GMC report above; overview coverage: FT https://lnkd.in/diRyXcCW, ITV https://lnkd.in/d-cZ3mtY #LinkedInNewsUK #NHS #UKHealthcare #Doctors #JuniorDoctors #Workforce #BrainDrain #HigherEducation #Academia #UKRI #GMC #MigrationPolicy #Pay #Staffing #Rotas #Research #PublicPolicy