Migrants are keeping the NHS afloat not drowning it!

Based on my interaction with a locum GP then I think the English test is definitely not suitable. I had a phone call with this particular locum, I couldn't understand him and he apparently couldn't understand me judging by the responses. In the end he consulted one of the permanent GP's at the practice ( goodness knows what info he passed on) and sent me a couple of paragraphs to read the first line of which said if a person had had this articular complaint for more than 2 weeks consult your GP. I had stressed over and again that my problem had lasted arpund 4 months and was not improving despite prescribed medication.

WonderfulLife, I have been where you were with your husband. I actually employed somebody to stay overnight with my Grandfather when he was in hospital so I could get some rest as I was there all day. The hospital seemed to have no idea about dementia, his tablets were just left with him as was his food, drinks were left out of reach and mistakes were frequently made about his ailments.
Similarly with my Mother, with the records being wrong and which have impacted us ever since with medical professionals. I have tried to get things corrected but it seems this takes far more energy than I have. When my Mum left hospital for her care home, the staff couldn't believe the state of her hair which hadn't been washed for 16 weeks and the state of her skin where she wasn't been moved properly.
We went to PALS several times and they were helpful but the bottom line is that complaints were met by apathy with the staff and there seemed no will to change things.
At the end of the day, all the staff (migrants and home born) were welcome in my book but I just want the appropriate care for my relatives and I think to get that the NHS needs overhauling radically. They certainly need more staff wherever they come from.

Oreo,
100 per cent agree.

I doubt very much if those working in the NHS were those that came in illegally.
We should provide bursaries for those who live in this country to train as doctors, nurses, especially midwives, and dentists.

in relation to earlier comments, 1 do not believe that the Rwanda policy is a deterrent . how are people abroad supposed to hear about that when I don't even get to hear what is happening in the adjacent town. ? Let us face it the WASPI women did not hear about changes despite the fact the government knew it was planned and on the gov.uk website.
It is a shame that the countries do not get together and stop renting out units to house the empty boats and also confiscate the funds that they have acquired.

Oreo

I don’t agree.The Rwanda option is the only one on the table which may have a deterrent effect if it actually gets going.
Saying going after gangmasters isn’t working, yes they get the odd few here and there but more pop up to take their place.
Regards them working here, most destroy any papers that may identify them so other than cleaning jobs what else could they do? Not sure they should be in any workplace really, who knows who they are and if they have criminal backgrounds?
I wish there was a better option than Rwanda but don’t think there is.If it worked as a deterrent there would soon be no need to keep sending many there as not many would keep arriving here, then eventually none at all.
We will always need some legal migration, but that’s a different thing.The NHS in particular has needed legal migrant workers for donkeys years.

“ they destroy papers that identify them…”. In a few cases if wanting to get here by nefarious means…certainly, but in most cases they’ve left under disasterous circumstances …think Ukraine bombed out, gender issues, etc, .
What we (and the US and other countries) need is a much better system for sorting/ verifying/ housing these migrants…and deport those where necessary …preferably along the lines of Interpol to flush out unwanteds from genuine migrants…?

Leaving aside Ukraine and Hong Kong and Afghanistan, as there has been provision made to accept migrants from those countries, most of the illegal migrants that arrive here are from countries where work is poorly paid or scarce, so they are economic migrants not true asylum seekers.

Tho I do agree that we need a faster and better way of sorting the wheat from the chaff.

I agree, Oreo. What I don’t understand is the number who are granted asylum, either on first application or on appeal. Is the figure influenced by those without papers? Are they taken at their word as to country of origin, circumstances etc, because what they say can’t be disproved?

I do find the demonisation of economic migrants puzzeling.

Are we talking about the parents of Suella Braverman, Pritti Patel, James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch or Rishi Dunak?

Some have professional qualifications and the ability to prove that that is so. Others have no skills to offer and it’s impossible to prove who they are or whether they have a criminal record. The parents of those you name arrived via routes available today, not on boats with no proof of identity. There are legal routes available to those who qualify for a visa - people who possess skills which the UK needs,

Amazed at the blatant racism here.

There are loads of vacancies for unskilled work here

Where is blatant racism displayed cakmib?

Firstly, sorry to hear about your situation and wish you a full and speedy recovery.

I completely agree with you, the same could be applied to carers.

IMO Migrants have added (literally) spice and much value to our country across many years.

As for those arriving illegally, perhaps if our govt dealt with this “issue” properly by allowing legal channels to be accessed more easily, processing them more efficiently, did more to stop traffickers, and stopped blaming the 1% of our population who arrive this way for every woe we might have a more positive viewpoint towards migrants in general.

It’s such an emotive subject, and I’m not so ignorant nor naive to believe every single person arriving illegally is a genuine asylum seeker and I’d like to see the boats stopped for two very good reasons, 1) safety of the people on those boats 2) Traffickers making money from, in the main, vulnerable people.

I know I’ve mentioned this before but when working I worked with migrants and asylum seekers, including unaccompanied minors, the majority arriving here are genuine people with horrible backstories and want to make a life here and contribute.

Oreo

Leaving aside Ukraine and Hong Kong and Afghanistan, as there has been provision made to accept migrants from those countries, most of the illegal migrants that arrive here are from countries where work is poorly paid or scarce, so they are economic migrants not true asylum seekers.

I think you should be using the word “some”, not the majority! The last boat which sank contained people from from both Syria and Iran.

Germanshepherdsmum

Some have professional qualifications and the ability to prove that that is so. Others have no skills to offer and it’s impossible to prove who they are or whether they have a criminal record. The parents of those you name arrived via routes available today, not on boats with no proof of identity. There are legal routes available to those who qualify for a visa - people who possess skills which the UK needs,

That works fine for those who are economic migrants, and I don’t think anyone would argue that we should have a “points” system for those people.

However, this doesn’t apply to asylum seekers, all of whom have a legal right to seek asylum in the UK irrespective of the way they arrive. If we changed our system in a positive way to allow better, safer and legal routes for those wishing to seek asylum here and then processed them efficiently and effectively then we wouldn’t have the issues we now have. ALL asylum seekers are considered “genuine” until they are processed and either given leave to remain or refused leave to remain.

Odinarygirl Asylum seekers are very aware of what’s going on here, how? Through their mobile phones.

Here’s a clip of some being interviewed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T_FnN7w-w4

These people who come here through legal channels are more than welcome, always have been.
So why do others feel it necessary to pay thousands to these traffickers for an ILLEGAL form of entry.
We are paying for them too in our taxes in a system that is bursting at the seams.

Callistemon21
We're short of medical staff because our own home-grown, home-trained staff are poached by other countries.*

They aren't 'poached', other countries pay better, treat them better and respect their medical staff more highly. It's so expensive for medical students to put themselves through medical school, they all come out with huge debt. It's also very hard work, and mentally and emotionally gruelling. Current pay puts them on a par with unskilled shop work, admin etc. No wonder they move away.

JaneJudge

There are loads of vacancies for unskilled work here

Too many poorly paid jobs here.

Most of the people arriving in small boats are genuine asylum seekers but the opportunity for them to make a claim for asylum does not exist until they have their feet on British soil. This is why they end up in the hands of traffickers. fwiw it was only after this govt passed a law in July 2023 that they became "illegal" before that they were classes as asylum seekers.

It does not matter what this government calls them. They are not "illegal" . Under international law they are entitled to claim asylum.

Or even worse the ghastly word "illegals".Imagine running for your life and arriving here to be called "an illegal"

Why do people comment on those seeking asylum having mobile phones as if it were some sort of outrageous luxury?

WonderBra

Callistemon21
We're short of medical staff because our own home-grown, home-trained staff are poached by other countries.*

They aren't 'poached', other countries pay better, treat them better and respect their medical staff more highly. It's so expensive for medical students to put themselves through medical school, they all come out with huge debt. It's also very hard work, and mentally and emotionally gruelling. Current pay puts them on a par with unskilled shop work, admin etc. No wonder they move away.

I did explain how they are "poached".