DAUK is joining Foxglove, the BMA, Just Treatment, and Viscount Hanworth at a parliamentary briefing — “Who Controls Our Health Data?” — hosted by Martin Wrigley MP on Monday 23rd March to make sure MPs understand what is at stake.

Why this matters

Palantir has no place in our NHS. The company has deep roots in surveillance and intelligence, close ties to the Trump administration, and a track record that is fundamentally incompatible with the trust patients place in the health service.

In February 2026, the BMA called on all NHS doctors to stop non-clinical use of Palantir’s platform, citing reports that ICE used Palantir technology to process and link medical records to target immigrants in the United States. When patients fear their data may be misused, they stop being candid with their doctors—or stop seeking care altogether.

DAUK has warned consistently that Palantir’s involvement is eroding public confidence in how the NHS handles patient data. A DAUK-commissioned poll found 48% of adults would opt out of sharing their health data if Palantir manages it—a direct threat to the integrity of NHS datasets that clinicians and researchers depend on.

Despite the £330m price tag, fewer than a quarter of England’s hospital trusts are actively using the platform. Hundreds of millions spent, with most of the NHS yet to see any benefit.

What you can do

Use the form below to find your MP and send them a pre-written email asking them to attend this briefing. It takes two minutes and a personal message from a constituent could be the difference between an empty seat and an informed vote.

DAUK’s GP committee is calling on patients to join us in our campaign to restore general practice to the heart of the NHS. “Your GP, Here for You” is about building a real partnership between doctors and patients to improve healthcare for everyone.

Dr Steve Taylor, DAUK’s GP co-lead, has been at the forefront of highlighting the crisis facing general practice. His research and advocacy work has shone a light on the challenges GPs face and the impact on patient care.

The Crisis in General Practice

The numbers tell a stark story:

• 1,790 fewer fully qualified full-time equivalent GPs working in the NHS compared to September 2015
• A single full-time GP is now responsible for an average of 2,292 patients — 354 more than in September 2015
• Despite this, GP practices are offering record numbers of appointments for their patients
• GPs are working harder than ever, but systemic underfunding is undermining patient care

What We’re Fighting For

GPs want to provide the best possible care for their patients. But years of underfunding, workforce shortages, and bureaucratic burden are making this increasingly difficult. Our campaign calls for:

• Investment in general practice — Proper funding to recruit and retain GPs
• A patient-centered contract — Moving away from tick-box bureaucracy towards meaningful care
• Continuity of care — Enabling patients to see the same GP who knows their history
• Recognition of GP workload — Acknowledging that GPs are doing more with less
• Addressing GP unemployment — Ensuring trained GPs can find work in the NHS

GPs Are Doing Their Best

Dr Taylor’s research has revealed that many GPs are underemployed or struggling to find work, despite the immense demand for GP services. This paradox highlights the systemic failure in workforce planning that affects both doctors and patients.

As Dr Taylor has said: “In simple terms, practices haven’t had enough money to employ the new GPs that we are training. There are doctors that are unemployed, and a large proportion of GPs are underemployed — they are not working the hours they’d want to work.”

How You Can Help

Patients and doctors need to work together to save general practice. Here’s how you can support the campaign:

• Contact your MP — Tell them general practice needs proper investment
• Share your story — Help highlight the impact of GP shortages on patient care
• Support DAUK — Join as a member or donate to our crowdfunder
• Spread the word — Share this campaign with friends and family

DAUK in the Media

DAUK’s GP committee has been at the forefront of media coverage on general practice issues. Our spokespeople have appeared on Sky News, BBC, ITV, LBC, and in national newspapers including The Times, The Guardian, and The Daily Mail, helping to ensure the reality of general practice is heard.

Dr Steve Taylor’s data and statistics on the NHS and general practice have helped build an extensive following and inserted DAUK into important social media conversations about healthcare policy.

Join the Campaign

Your GP is here for you. Now we need you to be here for your GP. Together, we can fight for a properly funded, sustainable general practice that works for patients and doctors alike.

Follow DAUK’s GP Committee on social media: @DAUK_GP on X

NHS staff have experienced effectively a pay cut in real terms over the last decade. Qualified doctors are leaving the NHS due to poor pay and conditions, and we are campaigning to ensure doctors feel valued and can manage their bills and student loans.

Why This Matters

The erosion of doctors’ pay is not just unfair—it’s dangerous. Understaffing caused by poor pay and working conditions creates potential patient safety issues and threatens the sustainability of the NHS workforce.

Our Campaign Goals

• Pay restoration for junior doctors in England to reflect their true value
• Address understaffing and retention crisis
• Support medical professionals’ financial well-being so they can focus on patient care
• Ensure fair compensation that reflects years of training and the vital work doctors do

Supporting the Movement

We are working alongside the BMA Pay Restoration campaign and supporting initiatives like DoctorsVote to amplify doctors’ voices and push for systemic changes in compensation.

Doctors deserve to be paid fairly for the essential, skilled, and demanding work they do. Join us in fighting for pay restoration and a sustainable NHS workforce.

Campaign Partners & Resources

• BMA Pay Restoration campaign – Working together for fair pay
• DoctorsVote – Amplifying doctors’ voices on social media
• Contact your MP about pay restoration
• Support DAUK’s advocacy work

Government tax rules are causing significant financial burden for experienced NHS doctors, with unexpected pension tax bills running into the tens of thousands of pounds. Some doctors have been forced to re-mortgage their homes.

The Problem

Consultants are reducing work hours due to Annual Allowance and Taper regulations, exacerbating the existing NHS staffing crisis. This is not just a financial issue—it’s a patient safety crisis.

DAUK’s Position

• Scrap the Annual Allowance and Taper for NHS pension schemes
• Repay consultants affected by unfair tax bills
• Reject inadequate proposals that don’t address the root cause

We believe these punitive tax rules are forcing experienced doctors to reduce their hours or retire early, directly threatening patient care. The government must act decisively to resolve this crisis and keep senior doctors working in the NHS.

Support our campaign to end this unjust system and protect both doctors and patients.

Get Involved

• Contact your MP about pension tax reform
• Share your story if you’ve been affected by Annual Allowance/Taper issues
• Support DAUK’s advocacy for fair pension treatment

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DAUK launched the Protect The Frontline campaign with six critical demands to safeguard NHS healthcare workers. We fought tirelessly to ensure doctors and all NHS staff had the protection, support, and recognition they deserved.

Our Six Key Demands

1. Adequate PPE

We coordinated a letter to Boris Johnson signed by 8,000 doctors, created the NHSPPE app to track PPE supply, and lobbied for WHO-level PPE recommendations. As one doctor told us: “We have had doctors tell us they feel like lambs to the slaughter.”

2. Protection for Staff Speaking Out

We advocated for doctors’ right to raise safety concerns and worked to prevent bullying and silencing of healthcare workers. “Bullying of staff when they speak out about safety is completely unacceptable.”

3. Death in Service Benefits

We sought comprehensive benefits for all doctors and pushed for financial support for bereaved families. “It is simply morally unforgivable” that families were left without adequate support.

4. Coroner’s Inquests and Public Inquiry

We called for independent investigation of healthcare worker deaths, mounted a legal challenge with Good Law Project, and gathered over 100,000 petition signatures.

5. International Medical Graduate Rights

We advocated for Indefinite Leave to Remain for dependents and campaigned to abolish the NHS surcharge for international workers. “We find it unconscionable that bereaved families might find themselves at risk of deportation.”

6. Childcare Support

We highlighted challenges for NHS workers with childcare and raised awareness about difficulties during the pandemic. “Healthcare workers do not have superpowers.”

This campaign demonstrated the power of collective action in protecting frontline medical workers during unprecedented times.

Campaign Achievements & Resources

• 8,000 doctors signed our letter to the Prime Minister on PPE
• NHSPPE App – Created to track PPE supply and request emergency equipment
• 100,000+ petition signatures for public inquiry into healthcare worker deaths
• Legal challenge with Good Law Project and Bindmans LLP
• Support our ongoing work

DAUK supports Oxfam’s campaign to cancel the debt of the poorest countries, aligned with our principles of universal access to healthcare.

Why Debt Cancellation Matters for Health

Crushing national debt forces the world’s poorest countries to prioritize debt repayment over essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. This perpetuates cycles of poverty and prevents access to basic medical care for millions of people.

Our Position

As doctors, we believe healthcare is a fundamental human right. Debt burdens in the poorest nations directly undermine health systems, prevent disease prevention, and deny people life-saving treatments.

We advocate for debt cancellation to enable countries to invest in their healthcare systems, improve public health outcomes, and build resilient health infrastructure.

How to Support

• Support the campaign – Learn more about Oxfam’s Cancel the Debt initiative
• Contact your MP – Advocate for policies that support debt relief for the poorest countries
• Share the campaign – Raise awareness about the link between debt and health inequality

Global health equity requires global solidarity. Join us in supporting debt cancellation for a healthier, fairer world.

Take Action

• Learn more: Visit Oxfam’s Cancel the Debt campaign
• Contact your MP: Advocate for debt relief policies
• Spread awareness: Share information about the link between debt and health inequality

1 in 4 NHS doctors are international medical graduates (IMGs), representing over 200 nationalities. With the NHS currently short 10,000 doctors and facing 100,000 total vacancies, international doctors are critical to the functioning of our healthcare system.

DAUK’s IMG Advocacy Achievements

• 2018: Successfully lobbied to remove Tier 2 visa caps for doctors, enabling more international recruitment
• Supported doctors facing visa issues and potential deportation
• Advocated for scrapping the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS workers
• Pushed for indefinite leave to remain for NHS doctors during COVID-19

Overseas NHS Workers Day

We founded Overseas NHS Workers Day, celebrated annually on the first Friday in March, to recognize international healthcare workers’ contributions and highlight their vital role in strengthening the NHS.

Our Ongoing Campaign

We continue to advocate for fair immigration policies, support international medical graduates facing workplace challenges, and fight for recognition of the essential role overseas doctors play in the UK healthcare system.

International medical graduates are not just filling gaps—they are integral members of the NHS family, bringing skills, dedication, and diversity that make our health service stronger.

Learn More

• Overseas NHS Workers Day – Celebrated first Friday in March
• Get support: Contact DAUK if you’re facing visa or immigration issues
• Advocacy work: We continue fighting for fair immigration policies for NHS workers

Current medical student funding is insufficient. Students can only borrow a maximum of £6,458 annually, forcing many into financial hardship while training to become doctors.

Our Campaign Demands

1. Full maintenance loans for medical students – Equal access to student finance
2. Access to NHS Learning Support Fund – Additional support for healthcare students
3. Review of travel and accommodation expenses – Fair reimbursement for placement costs

What We’re Asking For

• Immediate access to full maintenance loans for all medical students
• £5,000 non-means tested grant to support training costs
• Reflective travel and accommodation cost reimbursements that cover actual expenses

Media Coverage

Our campaign has been featured in Metro, Sky News, BBC, BMJ, BMA, Medscape, and LBC, highlighting the financial struggles faced by medical students during their training.

Campaign Resources

• MP Briefing document
• Press release
• Letter template for universities

Follow #LiveableNHSBursary on social media and support our campaign to ensure future doctors can focus on their studies without facing poverty.

Campaign Downloads & Media

• MP Briefing Pack (PDF) – Comprehensive briefing for parliamentarians
• MP Briefing PowerPoint – Presentation materials for advocacy
• Press Release – “Medical training should not mean poverty”
• Letter Template – Template for students to contact universities

Media Coverage

Our campaign has been featured in Metro, Sky News, BBC, BMJ, BMA, Medscape, LBC, and Wonkhe, highlighting the urgent need for better financial support for medical students.

DAUK opposes the Government’s plans to regulate Physician Associates (PAs) and Anaesthesia Associates (AAs) through the General Medical Council (GMC). We believe this poses significant risks to patient safety and blurs the critical distinction between doctors and non-doctors.

Our Concerns

• Inadequate training and qualifications – PAs and AAs do not receive the same extensive training as doctors
• Patient safety risks – We have collected nearly 1,000 responses from doctors documenting serious safety concerns
• Professional confusion – GMC regulation blurs the lines between doctors and non-doctors, potentially misleading patients
• Pay disparities – PAs are earning £11,000 more than newly qualified doctors, creating workforce distortions

What We’re Doing

We have collaborated with media to highlight concerns about MAP safety issues and pushed for changes in identifying numbers for PAs in the GMC register to ensure transparency. DAUK donated £30,000 to Anaesthetists United to support their legal challenge against AA regulation by the GMC.

We are encouraging public transparency through consultation data requests and continuing to advocate for a pause in the expansion of PA and AA roles until there is a thorough review of training standards, scope of practice, regulation, and pay disparities.

Our Position

“PAs are not a substitute for doctors, who undergo extensive years of study, training, and acquire high levels of skill essential for patient care.”

We believe in supporting all healthcare professionals in appropriate roles, but patient safety must come first. The NHS needs more doctors, not substitutes for doctors.

Support Our Campaign

• £30,000 donated to Anaesthetists United for legal challenge against GMC regulation
• Nearly 1,000 doctor responses collected on MAP safety concerns
• Support DAUK’s work – Help fund our advocacy
• Get involved: Share your concerns and experiences about PA/AA patient safety

Overseas NHS Workers Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday in March. The next Overseas NHS Workers Day is 6 March, 2026.

Founded by Dr. Pushpo Babul Hossain, an international medical graduate (IMG) from Bangladesh who joined the NHS in January 2020, this day recognises and celebrates the incredible contribution of international healthcare workers to the NHS and the health of our nation.

Why this matters

Overseas workers are critical to the NHS. They bring skills, dedication, and compassion to healthcare across the UK, strengthening our health system and caring for millions of patients every day.

Our advocacy

We support the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Bill and campaign for better working conditions, recognition, and support for overseas healthcare workers. International staff deserve respect, fair treatment, and a pathway to permanent residence in the UK.

Get Involved

• Support the campaign – Share information and raise awareness
• Contact your MP – Advocate for the ILR Bill and better conditions for international workers
• Celebrate on 6 March, 2026 – Recognise the contributions of overseas NHS workers in your workplace

“Overseas workers make an incredible contribution to the NHS and to the health of our nation.”

Campaign Resources

• Next Overseas NHS Workers Day: 6 March, 2026 (First Friday in March)
• Founder: Dr. Pushpo Babul Hossain, IMG from Bangladesh
• Support the ILR Bill: Advocate for Indefinite Leave to Remain for NHS workers
• Share stories: Highlight international workers’ contributions in your workplace