Downing St defends immigration policy after May accused of refusing to allow visas for doctors to relieve NHS shortages

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Downing Street has insisted it stands by the government’s strict immigration regime, after Theresa May was accused of blocking requests to allow more overseas doctors to come to Britain to fill staff shortages in the NHS.

The Evening Standard reported on Tuesday that at least three government departments – including the Home Office – had urged Downing Street to lift visa quotas temporarily. May turned down the requests.

Up to 100 Indian doctors have reportedly had their applications for tier 2 visas turned down. These are offered to skilled workers from outside the EU with a job offer in Britain; but the number available is limited.

Danny Mortimer, the chief executive of NHS Employers, told the BBC recently he had heard of hundreds of doctors being refused visas – and the shortage was affecting patient care.

Asked about the Standard story, the prime minister’s official spokesman told journalists: “It remains essential we have control of the immigration system and it works in the national interest.”

He added: “We are monitoring the situation in relation to visa applications for doctors, including the monthly limits through the tier 2 visa route. Around one-third of all tier 2 visas go to the NHS and investing in our workforce will continue to be a top priority.”

Asked if the prime minister had personally vetoed the attempts, he said: “As for formulation of government policy, that’s not something I’d discuss.”

Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has boosted medical training places to help meet the need for more staff, with Brexit looming, but NHS managers have warned that they face a short-term staffing crisis.

The prime minister’s involvement in enforcing a tough immigration policy is likely to reignite concerns over whether the government’s target of reducing net migration is having damaging knock-on effects.

Sajid Javid replaced Amber Rudd after she resigned on Sunday night over the Windrush scandal. He told MPs on Monday he disliked the phrase “hostile environment” used to describe policies aimed at making life difficult for illegal immigrants.

Sunder Katwala, of the thinktank British Future, said: “Javid should seek to shift policy in areas where Theresa May’s views are considerably more hardline than the public’s. He could start by ending the bizarre policy of turning down visas for Indian doctors whose skills are desperately needed by NHS trusts trying to cut waiting lists.

The Labour MP Preet Gill has written to the home secretary, calling on him to relax the cap on tier 2 visas for doctors.

“Without adequate staffing levels, the NHS cannot deliver the timely and quality care that patients are entitled to. Therefore, I entirely fail to understand why the government is content with an immigration policy that is actively preventing the NHS from filling vacant doctor posts,” she said.

Labour’s shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, said the news was fresh evidence of the impact of May’s immigration policies.