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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/17/home-office-overturns-nhs-eye-doctors-visa-refusal
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| Home Office overturns NHS eye doctor's visa refusal | Home Office overturns NHS eye doctor's visa refusal |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Home Office has overturned its ban on an NHS eye doctor returning to Britain after the Guardian highlighted his case. | The Home Office has overturned its ban on an NHS eye doctor returning to Britain after the Guardian highlighted his case. |
| Dr Chan, 38, who does not want to reveal his first name or exact Asian country of origin, was initially refused a new visa after he made a small error in his application, but he was told on Thursday that he would be allowed to re-enter the country. | Dr Chan, 38, who does not want to reveal his first name or exact Asian country of origin, was initially refused a new visa after he made a small error in his application, but he was told on Thursday that he would be allowed to re-enter the country. |
| He blamed his mistake on following “confusing and inaccurate” advice on the Home Office website aimed at overseas nationals working legally in Britain who switch jobs. | He blamed his mistake on following “confusing and inaccurate” advice on the Home Office website aimed at overseas nationals working legally in Britain who switch jobs. |
| “I’m delighted that a wrong is righted. No one should have to go through all this nonsense and uncertainty, especially when it pertains to misleading and poorly worded guidance on, of all places, the Home Office [website]”, Chan said. | “I’m delighted that a wrong is righted. No one should have to go through all this nonsense and uncertainty, especially when it pertains to misleading and poorly worded guidance on, of all places, the Home Office [website]”, Chan said. |
| “Second, what is extremely glaring is the bigger issue of how entry clearance officers make their decisions. Are these refusal decisions even double-checked? Why couldn’t someone simply pick up a phone or send an email to clarify?” | |
| Chan worked as a medical fellow in retinal problems and virtual reality at Moorfields, the world-renowned eye hospital in London, between September 2017 and August this year. | Chan worked as a medical fellow in retinal problems and virtual reality at Moorfields, the world-renowned eye hospital in London, between September 2017 and August this year. |
| He hopes the Home Office’s change of heart will mean he can now take up a job he had been offered by the Royal Berkshire hospital trust in Reading, which would be his first consultant’s post. | He hopes the Home Office’s change of heart will mean he can now take up a job he had been offered by the Royal Berkshire hospital trust in Reading, which would be his first consultant’s post. |
| He was told in an email: “The decision to refuse your visa application has been overturned and our office will now proceed to the next stage of your application.” | He was told in an email: “The decision to refuse your visa application has been overturned and our office will now proceed to the next stage of your application.” |
| The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), which took up his case, had branded the Home Office’s decision to block Chan’s return as “inhumane”, heavy-handed and short-sighted, given that the NHS in England is short of almost 10,000 doctors, including ophthalmologists. | The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), which took up his case, had branded the Home Office’s decision to block Chan’s return as “inhumane”, heavy-handed and short-sighted, given that the NHS in England is short of almost 10,000 doctors, including ophthalmologists. |
| The ban had left Chan stranded in his home country and unable to start the new position in Reading. The Home Office had insisted he could not return until after a year-long “cooling-off period” it had imposed for his minor breach of the visa application rules. | The ban had left Chan stranded in his home country and unable to start the new position in Reading. The Home Office had insisted he could not return until after a year-long “cooling-off period” it had imposed for his minor breach of the visa application rules. |
| Chan said: “I have requested for a full explanation from them for this whole fiasco and do not accept their stock, almost predictable replies like ‘each application is considered individually’. Such incidents have been occurring all too often. Bureaucracies should own up and fix the problem when they have erred. The system needs a complete overhaul instead of wishy-washy political statements.” | Chan said: “I have requested for a full explanation from them for this whole fiasco and do not accept their stock, almost predictable replies like ‘each application is considered individually’. Such incidents have been occurring all too often. Bureaucracies should own up and fix the problem when they have erred. The system needs a complete overhaul instead of wishy-washy political statements.” |
| Two weeks ago the Home Office lifted its threat to deport a Taiwanese-born, British-educated and NHS-funded trainee GP, Dr Mu-Chun Chiang, for making a small error in her visa application after its decision provoked an outcry. | Two weeks ago the Home Office lifted its threat to deport a Taiwanese-born, British-educated and NHS-funded trainee GP, Dr Mu-Chun Chiang, for making a small error in her visa application after its decision provoked an outcry. |
| Dr Rinesh Patel, a spokesman for the Doctors’ Association, said: “We are delighted to hear that the Home Office has reviewed their decision and granted Dr Chan a visa so that he can continue to work in the UK. | |
| “This is yet another case which demonstrates the nonsensical Home Office hostile environment strategy, which is at complete odds with attempts by the NHS to recruit international doctors. Since March 2018 the Doctors’ Association UK has had to intervene in numerous cases of NHS doctors facing deportation or prevented from working in the the NHS due to bureaucratic decisions made by the Home Office. | |
| “We call on the Home Office to review their processes and handling of these cases as the NHS can ill afford to lose a single doctor.” | |
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