UK-qualified would-be GPs can expect to be safe in 2009 from the pressure on training places caused by the DoH's repeated failure to restrict the access of immigrant doctors to training.

Had 800 non-UK doctors not been given specialty training, then the number of UK trained graduates who had been disappointed would have been 500 not 1,300. How come doctors who were trained in NHS hospitals during medical school and foundation years are less suitable than someone trained overseas? Why not have all non-training posts be open to all and training posts be open to those allowed under european law? Alternatively, there could be full-time posts created which cover the same work as a ST post, but do not offer any training? Or how about any non-european offered a training post, having to pay for their training?