Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act on UK citizens who received their medical training abroad.

Under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, British citizens who have graduated from medical schools outside of the United Kingdom will not be prioritised for foundation training places, and graduates from a medical school in the UK will not be prioritised if they spent the majority of their time studying outside the British Islands.

For specialty training places starting in 2026, we are using immigration statuses as a practical proxy to capture applicants who are most likely to have significant experience working in the health service in the UK. The effect of this is that British citizens will be prioritised.

From 2027, immigration status will no longer automatically determine priority for specialty training. Instead, we will be 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.

Non-prioritised graduates can still apply for postgraduate medical training and will be offered places if vacancies remain after prioritised applicants have received offers.