According to Pulse, the magazine for General Practitioners, in 2013 4,741 UK trained doctors applied to the GMC for Certificates of Good Standing (CGSs), so they can register with an overseas regulatory body or employer. In 2012 the figure was 4726, and 2,485 for the first six months of 2014.

The training costs for these wannabe emigres was in the main covered by the UK taxpayer. Many are escaping to Australia with shorter working hours, higher salaries and where the politics of envy doesn’t pervade the parliament. The USA and the UAE are also popular destinations.

No one seems to have commented on the irony that two of the UK’s political parties are intent on raising taxes on the wealthy (and yes this includes GPs) to pay for the National Health Service, just as NHS doctors are intent on fleeing those taxes.