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Doctors’ dilemma

According to UK National Audit Office, the National Health Service’s spending watchdog, half of those deaths could have been avoided. But how to avoid mistakes when there is a severe shortage of doctors and nurses and the health system is under so much strain? Reports indicate that some patients prefer to go to some other country for treatment, which is relatively cheap, instead of waiting for long for an appointment with a specialist. The soaring cost of running a public health system and manpower shortages are prompting the authorities to hire secondary and tertiary health personnel from outside and outsource patients’ health records. No doubt, these steps may ease the pressure on the system. However, they have their own problems, such as language issues, cultural differences and poor social interaction as far as the foreign medical workforce is concerned, and security and accurate transcription of medical records when they are done outside of the country. But these pinpricks should in no way impede the effective functioning of the NHS. Many countries, which are sending nurses to the UK, have English language courses to train the aspirants and recruits in writing and speaking skills. A functional English language test for the foreign nurses selected to work in British hospitals and orientation courses in the host country could remedy some of the staffing problems.