GMC to look into higher number of complaints against overseas trained doctors

The General Medical Council has commissioned new research to establish why UK doctors who trained overseas seem to be disproportionately represented at its fitness to practise hearings.

Figures released by the GMC last month show that of the 3086 complaints lodged against doctors in 2006 where the doctor's country of training was known, nearly 40% referred to overseas trained doctors—roughly in proportion to their numbers in the NHS workforce—but the percentage of overseas trained doctors who were then referred to hearings was twice that among UK graduates (34% versus 16%). However, in a further 1279 complaints made about doctors the doctor's place of …