London NHS trust criticised after warning to striking staff on visas

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT) has been criticised after a staff message targeting striking NHS staff on sponsored visas was shared on Twitter.

The post said any striking doctor with "a visa sponsored by the Trust" would be reported "to the Border Force".

LGT said the message was not trust policy and was sent by an individual to "a local WhatsApp group".

A screenshot of the message, reportedly from an NHS consultant in charge of staff rotas for the trust, was posted on Twitter by urologist and BMA member Mike Henley.

He added the warning was "entirely untrue" and affected junior doctors "are not at risk" of visa issues.

The message, which has been seen by thousands of people on WhatsApp, reads: "Any doctor who has a visa sponsored by the trust and decides to go on strike, the trust will report their absence to the Border Force and this could potentially make it problematic when renewing their visa."

It continued: "Please note that this is not a consultant decision but a trust decision and is in keeping with most (if not all) other trusts in London".

The message has been heavily criticised by those working in the NHS including London GP and chair of the BMA's General Practice division Dr Farah Jameel, who said: "With that kind of culture, there's no doubt all kinds of badness occurring."

It comes amid ongoing industrial action by junior doctor BMA members who are asking for a 35% pay rise and argue their pay has been cut by 26% since 2008 once inflation is taken into account.

Last month's 72-hour walkout by the union's members was the biggest strike action by doctors in the history of the NHS.

A spokesperson for LGT said: "This is absolutely not our trust policy. We are, and always have been, fully supportive of everyone's right to strike without judgement, fear or consequence.

"This message was sent in a local WhatsApp group by an individual who made a mistake. It has been corrected internally at the most senior level and we have assured our all teams, including our international colleagues, that this is not our position.

"Understandably, it has been distressing for some colleagues and we are deeply sorry that this has impacted them at a time when we are all pulling together to do our very best for our patients."

Dr Latifa Patel, from the BMA, said the organisation was "deeply concerned by the impact of this communication, which will unnecessarily instil fear and doubt in the minds of junior doctors with visas over their legal right to take strike action".

She added: "We will not take any form of industrial action that will impact the legal status of a doctor's visa - either future or present.

"To employers - we remind you of your responsibility to act professionally - we have zero tolerance for bullying and harassment."