IPEM backs the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee in calling for immigration reforms to support medical physics and clinical engineering.

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee issued a letter warning that the UK’s immigration and visa policies deter essential STEM talent, a concern echoed by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM).

In the letter, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee says the government is committing an “act of national self-harm” by pursuing a visa policy which deters STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) talent from coming to the UK.

Its 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. The letter was issued by Baroness Brown of Cambridge to the Home Secretary, Chancellor, and Minister for Science.

IPEM Urges Visa Reform for Clinical Engineers

In response to the letter, IPEM notes in a press release that it has been advocating for improved visa regulations for healthcare science professionals and is 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 specialized, complex tasks, working with cutting-edge medical technology that requires advanced skills and training,” according to the release from IPEM. “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, states in the release, “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.”

IPEM is calling on the government to add clinical engineers as an eligible occupation on the Health and Care Worker Visa.

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