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Medical Professional Vacancies

Volume 455: debated on Tuesday 16 January 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given to filling the medical professional vacancies created when non-European area students leave Northern Ireland after they complete their foundation programme. (115266)

Vacancies are monitored through the Department's on-going workforce planning mechanism, which includes a review of the medical workforce. Within that review, allowance is made for a net loss of doctors at the early stages of training.

While the group of doctors referred to may choose not to seek further employment following completion of the foundation programme, there remains a likelihood that opportunities will arise that are not taken up by European economic area doctors. These can be taken up by the group of doctors referred to or by others from outside the EEA.