London's Mahalakshmi Temple Feeds Jobless Indian Doctors

January 12, 2006

London's Mahalakshmi Temple Feeds Jobless Indian Doctors news.independent.co.uk LONDON, UK, January 2, 2006: Standing in the courtyard of the Sri Mahalakshmi Hindu temple in east London, a dozen jobless doctors are eating dhal, rice and potatoes off paper plates. Wrapped against the cold, they come here each evening when the temple serves free food. They are among thousands of overseas doctors who have flocked to Britain in the past five years in response to the NHS's global appeal for more staff. But instead of finding hospitals ready to welcome them, they face unemployment, poverty and discrimination. A growing number of unemployed doctors, most from the Indian subcontinent, are living on the breadline in east London and other British cities. Their numbers have soared from 1,000 who passed the

professional and linguistic assessment board (Plab) test--a requirement for all overseas doctors--in 1998 to 6,666 who passed in 2005. Passing the test is the first of many hurdles this year's doctors must clear. All face months of hardship while they struggle to find work, and many never obtain jobs and return home broke. A survey by the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that less than half of those who passed the Plab test in summer 2004 found work within six months, and a quarter were still unemployed a year later.

Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER

25,2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013

Tel: 0413 - 2622902 / 0413 -2241561

Website: www.icyer.com

www.geocities.com/yognat2001/ananda

Photos Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP.

January 13, 2006

This is a very sad state of affairs which is getting worse.Inspite of several "warnings" from us -existing doctors in the system about the job situation, doctors tend to flood in here only to live in rat infested accomodations in Eastham.They often go back home without jobs. I do feel that in reality there is no big difference for doctors whether they stay back in India or come here.Over here it is a struggle getting into the system, getting consultant posts, getting suitable schools for their children, housing in good locality, etc. Doctors think it is heaven up here. In reality there is nothing special here that is not available in India.If these doctors stay back and work hard they will be able to establish a reasonably good lifestyle in India itself. Radhika"Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Bhavanani" <yognat2001 wrote: London's Mahalakshmi Temple Feeds Jobless Indian Doctors news.independent.co.uk LONDON, UK, January 2, 2006: Standing in the courtyard of the Sri Mahalakshmi Hindu temple in east London, a dozen jobless doctors are eating dhal, rice and potatoes off paper plates. Wrapped against the cold, they come here each evening when the temple serves free food. They are among thousands of overseas doctors who have flocked to Britain in the past five years in response to the NHS's global appeal for more staff. But instead of finding hospitals ready to welcome them, they face unemployment, poverty and discrimination. A growing number of unemployed doctors, most from the Indian subcontinent, are living on the breadline in east London and other British cities. Their numbers have soared from 1,000 who passed

the professional and linguistic assessment board (Plab) test--a requirement for all overseas doctors--in 1998 to 6,666 who passed in 2005. Passing the test is the first of many hurdles this year's doctors must clear. All face months of hardship while they struggle to find work, and many never obtain jobs and return home broke. A survey by the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that less than half of those who passed the Plab test in summer 2004 found work within six months, and a quarter were still unemployed a year later. Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER 25,2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013 Tel: 0413 - 2622902 / 0413 -2241561

Website: www.icyer.com www.geocities.com/yognat2001/ananda PhotosGot holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP. Dr.Radhika Ramkumar MRCPsych

Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry of Learning Disabilities

North West London Regional Higher Specialist Training Scheme

United Kingdom

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