21 May 2020
Shift on NHS Surcharge for NHS and Care Workers 'Common Sense', Says RCGP
Responding the Government's decision to exempt health and care workers from overseas from the NHS surcharge, Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "General practice, the wider NHS and care sectors rely on people from all over the world to deliver essential care to patients. This has never been more apparent that during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“It made no sense that those delivering health and care services, currently putting their own health at risk by doing so, should be penalised for doing their crucial work. This shift in policy is common sense – but it is also symbolic in terms of giving the thousands of NHS and care staff from overseas the appreciation they deserve for the work they are doing.
"We welcome the Government’s recent policy change to exempt NHS and care workers from the NHS surcharge."
Further Information
RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7633/7574/7575
Out of hours: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.