Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has been criticised after an incorrect WhatsApp message threatened to report immigrant doctors who participate in any strike action to the Border Force.
As reported by the Mail Online, in a message sent to trained junior medics at the University Hospital Lewisham on Sunday, doctors with work visas were warned that their “absence” could be reported to the Home Office – possibly making it problematic when renewing their visa.
The message, which was sent by a senior medic according to the MailOnline, reads: “Any doctor who has visa sponsored by the Trust and decides to go on strike, the Trust will report their absence to Border Force, and this could potentially make it problematic when renewing their visa.
“Please note that this not a Consultant decision but a Trust decision and is in keeping with most (if not all) other Trusts in London.”
The message drew criticism from the British Medical Association and junior medics who denounced it as “disgraceful”, “appalling” and “xenophobic nonsense”.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has admitted that the message was from one of their staff but that it is incorrect.
Foreign trained doctors, who are legally entitled to join a union, are protected by law to take part in lawful industrial action.
Training doctors in England will stage their longest walkout between April 11 and 15.
The BMA added that messages like this would unnecessarily instil fear and doubt among doctors.
The University Hospital Lewisham, which is part of the trust, apologised for the distress caused and insisted that it was not its policy.
A spokesperson for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust told MailOnline: “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.
“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.”
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