I Find This Action Incomprehensible

[Bobbisox1]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/immigration-surcharge-fees-nhs-workers-budget-2020-a9395521.html

How can * they* even think of doing this at this time?
These nurses and Doctors are vital in the running of the NHS and should not be penalised , they aren’t the ones coming to our shores on dinghys ,they are providing a special service to us in Britain, this should be scrapped forthwith

[Bobbisox1]

I get what you’re saying APG but aren’t they already paying taxes here?

[Prudie]

I see that Bobbi but isn't the point that until they get here they won't have paid in anything.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Bobbi some will but a lot of immigrant workers are on zero hours contract or minimum wage. Unless they make more than £12,500 a year they won't pay any tax or National Insurance contributions. All NHS workers will of course be paying tax but a lot of workers in the Hospitality industry won't.

[johnny.5]

why not allow them staff discount ?

[Bobbisox1]

My own feelings for what it’s worth ( and I agree with a lot of your comments) that the timing of this under the circumstances, is quite wrong

[New Judge]

//These doctors and nurses should be encouraged to come to the UK,//

Should they? Don't other countries have a Coronavirus problem or is it restricted to the UK? Imagine if UK doctors and nurses were being encouraged to move elsewhere.

[dannyk13]

NJ, I was not talking about the present situation but rather in a general context.We are always in need of more doctors and nurses.

[THECORBYLOON]

APG, "The UK pays the highest wage for nurses in the European community."

Do you have figures to confirm that?

[pixie374]

I think there are two sides of course, but it isn't all about taxes. If, as an extreme say, we only allowed British workers to work here, the wages would have to go up to encourage people in... so it isn't necessarily desirable to either rely on immigrants ourselves, or attract them away from other countries that need them.

[Mozz71]

//Imagine if UK doctors and nurses were being encouraged to move elsewhere.//

I imagine many of them would be happy to go abroad if they thought they'd receive a fair wage and have better working conditions.

[Spicerack]

All the trouble Bobbi has caused with a two month old News story. Knowing our Gov. they've reversed it by now.

[pixie374]

The wage is artificially low here though, because we have so much "supply". We will stay short-staffed in professions that are underpaid, but if there is always someone willing to work, that just won't happen.

[Bobbisox1]

No trouble Spicey , debate yes :0)

[AuntPollyGrey]

Corby yes:

http://nursingcee.blogspot.com/2015/06/how-much-does-nurse-make-in-europe.html

[Mozz71]

Polly, the pay freeze over the past few years has seen them drop a little, but they're still not doing bad.

https://www.careeraddict.com/top-5-countries-with-the-highest-paid-salaries-for-nurses

I still think they should be earning a wage to better reflect their roles.

[pixie374]

Tbf, I think nurses' wages are reasonable, having worked as one. Certainly at first, you are only following other people's instructions and it really does not require a degree. But, if we have a shortage, raising the money is just demand and supply... not so much to encourage people in, but to discourage them from leaving once they are.
If you can get £3k a night working at a nursing home through an agency... why would any of them stay in the NHS?

[AuntPollyGrey]

Mozz those countries are not in Europe :-)

[Mozz71]

Half of them were Polly.

[jno]

nothing new in UK doctors being encouraged to emigrate

https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j4554

That's just the first report I turned up (and I can't read the details); others may go to the Americas or South Africa.

[New Judge]

//NJ, I was not talking about the present situation but rather in a general context.We are always in need of more doctors and nurses.//

Then the same applies. The idea that it is somehow OK to denude other countries of their trained medical staff strikes me as a bit odd.