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London Hospital (on November 10)
Photo: ANDY RAIN/EPA
The consequences of the British government's exit from the European Union are felt by people in Great Britain when they visit a doctor – or even when they are looking for a doctor.
According to a recent study, Brexit has exacerbated the shortage of doctors in Great Britain.
According to this, around 4,000 doctors from EU countries are missing in the British healthcare system in the most important specialist areas.
The "increase in staff from the EU" and the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) has "slowed down".
It was "and fell below the forecast increase," said the study commissioned by The Guardian newspaper and published on Sunday by the Nuffield Trust think tank.
Accordingly, the British healthcare system was dependent on doctors from the EU, especially before Brexit.
This particularly affected the departments of anaesthesia, paediatrics, heart surgery and psychiatry.
According to the study, more than 41,000 doctors from the EU or the EFTA countries Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein would have had to settle in Great Britain in 2021 to compensate for this shortage of staff – but at least 4,000 more.
Existing deficiency is exacerbated
The researchers see the “obvious reason for the trend reversal in 2015 and 2016” in the outcome of the Brexit referendum.
In addition to initial uncertainty about the new entry and work regulations, stricter visa regulations and “deteriorating working conditions” in the health system also contributed to the declining numbers.
The study's findings now suggest that the "stagnation in the number of EU doctors" has exacerbated existing shortages in areas where the NHS has not been able "to find enough qualified staff elsewhere". , it said.
The study comes at a time when the troubled NHS is struggling with many grievances after years of underfunding.
In addition to the shortage of doctors, nurses and nurses, this also includes long waiting times for some hospital treatments due to the corona pandemic.
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