IPEM Responds to House of Lords Science Committee Letter to the Government
IPEM backs House of Lords Science Committee in calling for immigration reforms to support medical physics and clinical engineering
The Government is committing an ‘act of national self-harm’ by pursuing a visa policy which deters the brightest and the best STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) talent from coming to the UK, the influential House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has warned.
Its stark message comes after analysis showed that high up-front visa costs, coupled with an inflexible immigration system, were putting the UK at a severe competitive disadvantage. Baroness Brown has highlighted these concerns in a letter to the Home Secretary, Chancellor and Minister for Science.
For years, IPEM has been advocating for improved visa regulations for healthcare science professionals. We are particularly concerned about the lack of recognition Clinical Engineers receive under current visa and immigration policies.
In our 2024 Manifesto, we urged the government to acknowledge the critical role Clinical Engineers play in the healthcare system. These professionals perform highly specialised, complex tasks, working with cutting-edge medical technology that requires advanced skills and training. The NHS depends on international talent to address workforce shortages, yet current visa regulations fail to reflect the essential contributions of Clinical Engineers.
Chris Watt, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at IPEM, stated:
"Clinical Engineers are an indispensable part of the healthcare workforce. Their expertise is fundamental to life-saving diagnostics and treatments across the scope of healthcare, from large scanners used to detect and treat cancer, to tiny implantable heart monitors and much else. Despite their clinical work, Clinical Engineers are excluded from the Health and Care Visa scheme, leaving them disproportionately affected by current immigration policies and making recruitment harder. This oversight harms the NHS and, ultimately, patient care. We call on the government to urgently reform visa policies to safeguard the future workforce and ensure the highest standards of patient safety and care.”
As one of our Manifesto asks, IPEM calls on the government to add Clinical Engineers as an eligible occupation on the Health and Care Worker Visa.