Let the NHS Recruit Australian & NZ Specialists: Cross-Recognise Qualifications

Closed 159 signatures

What the petition asks

The NHS is short 7,000+ medical staff and 52% of advertised vacancies go unfilled, mostly for lack of applicants. Many specialists want to come to the UK from Aust and NZ but they currently face a very difficult and costly 4+ year approval process.

This is because the General Medical Council (GMC) does not recognise Aust / NZ Medical Specialist qualifications. This, despite Parliament requiring the GMC recognise qualifications from anywhere in the EU. This includes many countries with medical systems, training, and language quite different to that in Aust, NZ and the UK.

This petition is for Parliament to require the GMC to recognise Aust and NZ Medical Specialist qualifications (as it does the EU) so that they can be recruited by the NHS

Timeline

11 Dec 2025	Petition opened for signatures
11 Jun 2026	Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 159

Status Closed

Department Department of Health and Social Care

Opened 11 Dec 2025

Closed 11 Jun 2026

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