Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of including international medical graduates who are GMC-registered and who have at least two years’ NHS experience by 5 March 2026 in the prioritisation for specialty training.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 5 March 2026, prioritises United Kingdom medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places.

For specialty training places starting in 2026, immigration statuses are being used as a practical proxy to capture applicants who are most likely to have significant experience working in the health service in the UK.

From 2027, immigration status will no longer automatically determine priority for specialty training. Instead, we are able to make regulations to specify any additional groups who will be prioritised by reference to criteria indicating significant experience as a doctor in the health service, or by reference to immigration status. The Department will work with NHS England, the devolved administrations, and other partners on how best to define and evidence significant NHS experience as part of the development of those regulations.