SUSHRUTA

Journal of Health Policy & Opinions

Opinion from the President’s Desk

Supporting our Staff

Ramesh Mehta MBBS MD FRCPCH OBE

President, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin

Cite as; Mehta R. Supporting Our Staff. Opinion from the President’s Desk. Sushruta 2020 (Mar) vol 13;

Issue 1: ePub 27.03.2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the normal life upside down. It has become a national crisis.

During this extraordinary period of pandemic, our primary focus is the health and wellbeing of

patients, members, our staff and loved ones.

We have written to the CMO to express our solidarity during this unprecedented crisis. We stand

firmly with the government and support the measures being taken to contain the spread of the

disease. Of course there are some worrying issues including provision of PPE and testing of the

staff for Corona virus. We have taken up these issues with the authorities.

I am getting messages from our divisions in different parts of the UK that our members are

working shoulder to shoulder with rest of the team. We are very proud of the dedication of the

NHS staff.

We have raised the issue of health surcharge for overseas workers with the Prime Minister. It

now amounts to £4800 per year for family of four. We believe that this surcharge is

discriminatory and unfair, as the overseas workers are already paying their due share of National

Insurance contributions, superannuation and income tax.

We are pleased with the success we had with GMC granting CCT to CESR-CP holders. Current

GMC procedure for IMG trainees who enter postgraduate training programmes at ST3 or ST4

level is that, on completion of their training they are granted a CESR-CP certificate, as opposed

to a CCT. In effect, This differential certification seems like second class certification.

Please look after yourselves and family and stay safe.

British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (1998); Mehta R v1 (27.03.2020)

vol 13; issue 1: