Indian origin docs permitted hearing against immigration rules

London, Aug 1 (UNI) The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), which filed a case against the new rules abolishing Permit Free Training for Doctors from non-EU countries in June 2006 and asked for a judicial review, has been granted permission to the hearing of its 'legal challenge against the new immigration rules'.

The Department of Health's new rules banned the employment of doctors from abroad even after clearing the PLAB examination unless a post could not be filled by British doctors or those from EU countries. They have also been denied training for specialisation.

BAPIO has claimed in its petition that the decision to abolish permit free training for doctors qualified outside the UK and the EEA is unfair and unjust. It has also argued that the Department of Health guidelines on interpretation of the Immigration Rules on doctors with leave to remain in the UK under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme are ''discriminatory and unreasonable''.

The association has demanded that the Department of Health issue correct guidance for doctors with leave to remain in the UK under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP), in particular to make it clear that doctors on the HSMP may be appointed to posts that extend beyond the duration of their current leave and hence can compete equally with UK/EEA nationals for such posts.

Buddhdev Pandya MBE, who is BAPIO's Honorary Corporate Advisor said the departments of Health and Home had not followed due procedures such as appropriate consultations and undertaking of a Race Equality Impact Assessment before framing the new rules. BAPIO estimates that about 10,000 trainee doctors will have to leave the country half way through their training within months unless the rules are changed.

Dr Raman Lakshman, from BAPIO's advisory council had warned, that because of the new ruling, thousands of doctors who had passed the PLAB test and were waiting for training jobs lost hope and a large number had already returned home, bitter and angry. ''Things must change quickly to reduce the distress to those who are still here, he said.

The case is likely to be heard towards the end of this month.

UNI XC PR RN1808