DAUK in The Guardian: Six in 10 UK health workers killed by Covid-19 are BAME
The Doctors' Association UK Chair says urgent action is required to protect frontline BAME staff.
The Doctors' Association UK Chair says urgent action is required to protect frontline BAME staff.
Chair of Doctors’ Association says medics are outraged over lockdown breach by Boris Johnson’s aide
Morale has been "decimated" by the government's refusal to remove the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), at a time when overseas healthcare workers are working harder than ever in our NHS.
"Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, president of the Doctors' Association UK said: “The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for NHS workers is a cruel and unnecessary policy which must be scrapped. These surcharges, which run into the thousands for a family of four, can be crippling for frontline NHS workers. Doctors from overseas have told us that this policy has made them feel unwelcome in the UK. The fact that the charge has been increased even further during the Covid pandemic has decimated morale amongst our overseas workforce.“
”We were grateful to Sir Keir Starmer for reading out our letter to the Home Office at PMQs today and would welcome an amendment to the Immigration Bill to exempt NHS healthcare workers from the surcharge.” "
Dr Rebecca Lewis, of the Doctors‘ Association UK said the organisation was delighted with the U-turn. “At all times, but especially in the current pandemic, it is absolutely right that health workers who should be exempt from an extra charge to access the health service they contribute so much,” she said. “We are privileged to have them care for us, and finally this has been recognised. This a welcome decision from Boris Johnson and one we applaud.”
Doctors are taking legal action to force the UK government to launch an independent inquiry into its failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment for NHS staff and other frontline care workers. The challenge is being brought by the Doctors Association UK (DAUK) and the Good Law Project
The deaths of more than 50 hospital and care home workers have been reported to Britain’s health and safety regulator, which is considering launching criminal investigations, the Guardian has learned.
DAUK in the Guardian on alarming numbers of healthcare workers contracting COVID-19. We remain incredibly concerned that healthcare workers are at considerable risk, partly due to a lack of appropriate PPE.