An international doctors’ group is considering providing their own officials for the new revalidation process because they are so concerned about the level of complaints against overseas medics.

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) says they have major concerns about the new system of responsible officers being appointed to relicence doctors because they are likely to be medical directors.

Responsible officers will have the authority to handle complaints locally about the conduct and performance of individual doctors and refer those who fall short of fitness to practise standards to the GMC.

BAPIO is concerned because they claim that most complaints to the GMC about international medical graduates (IMGs) come from professional colleagues and medical directors rather than patients.

A disproportionate number of overseas medics are referred to the GMC following fitness to practise complaints. The GMC has commissioned research to find out why this is occurring.

GMC fitness to practise statistics showed that, in 2008, 44% of initial complaints involving IMGs were classed as serious and led to a full investigation compared to only 29% of referrals for UK graduates.

Dr Ramesh Mehta, president of BAPIO, said “We have been wondering how we can assist IMGS and are actively considering expanding in a major way so that we will be able to provide responsible officers in the same way as other organisations.”

He said they were concerned that research commissioned by the GMC into the over representation of IMGs in fitness to practise proceedings had not yet reported because the problems are so serious.

“The issues are complex. Part of the problem is colleagues’ inability to understand the cultural background of international doctors. Although they speak good English, maybe the way it is spoken or maybe the interpretation by the people they work with could be a problem. Misunderstandings can crop up easily about diversity and there is also no doubt that some doctors still have a problem of racism. So there is no straightforward answer to this.”

He said IMGs also lacked support from potential representative organisations. He said in a recent case a BAPIO member, who was refused support by other groups, took a grievance against a deanery and the Department of Health to an industrial tribunal. Initial advice suggested the doctor should accept financial compensation instead, but BAPIO took on the case and they won at tribunal.

“We know of several other cases like this where things could have been really different. We get at least one or two cases like this a week where the organisations who should have supported the IMGs locally have failed to do so,” said Mehta.

A BMA spokesman said: “This something we are concerned about but it is difficult to speculate about the reasons why more international doctors are referred to the GMC. The statistics are worrying. Whether procedures are more difficult or less sympathetic for these doctors, combative language such as accusing the medical director of racism makes things escalate or whether these doctors don’t have the infrastructure or networks that UK colleagues have needs looking at.

“But we need to see the GMC research before we can make any changes in policy.”

A GMC spokeswoman said the study, commissioned from the Economic and Social Research Council in November 2007, is due to report later this year.