England relies on overseas GPs to work long hours and accept low pay for providing health services to its poorest communities, according to a leading primary care researcher.

More than 21% of the country’s GPs were trained overseas, mostly in countries outside the EY, according to the Manchester University analysis.

In total some 4.1% of GPs were trained in EU countries, the researchers say.

The researchers obtained information from more than 90% of practices for the study, published today in BMC Medicine.

The researchers say the NHS is set to rely on overseas doctors for years to come as it struggles to recruit GPs. Yet, they claim, qualification systems for overseas doctors are biased against them because they are not allowed enough training time in the NHS.

Researcher Professor Aneez Esmail said: “The NHS is already facing such a major GP crisis that in 2015 the Secretary of State for Health promised to increase the number of GPs by 5,000 by 2020.

“But given that the current workforce is ageing, it takes ten years to fully train a GP and current recruitment figures are down, it seems extremely unlikely these targets will be met.

“Overseas doctors have always been part of the solution and have provided a valuable remedy to the shortage of GPs in England, this needs to be acknowledged by policy makers and our politicians.”

He added: “Overseas doctors have less experience of the NHS and of UK GP training; understandably they need more time and support to prepare for exams and the delivery of UK primary care services. Unfortunately, GP training time is restricted by the GMC and the RCGP meaning non-UK qualified doctors face an uphill struggle from the outset.

“Rather than tightening immigration policy the Department of Health should do more to support and harness international talent in alleviating the growing GP crisis.”