UKIP leaflet blames NHS staff shortages on women being doctors

A UKIP leaflet says the national shortage of doctors has occurred because the NHS hires too many women.

The pamphlet, produced by local UKIP councillors in Somerset, asks “Do we need female doctors?”.

Answering its own question, it says: Of course we do, but not so many that they create the sort of problems the NHS is facing now.”

According to Buzzfeed News, the leaflet claims “positive discrimination in favour of women” poses a threat to local health services.

“Women take career breaks to have a family and tend to only work part time when they return to the surgery,” it said, adding that “75% of all doctors in training [are] women”.

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“How many female doctors are there in your surgery working 2 or 3 days a week?” it asks, warning that patients could be left without healthcare after surgeries close.

A national party spokesperson said UKIP described the opinions expressed on the leaflet as “eccentric”.

“It is clear that this individual is not speaking for UKIP as a whole but for themselves. Fortunately this rather eccentric view is not held as party policy,” they said.

Rachel Clarke, a doctor, tweeted: “Of course. We’ve seen immigrants, junior docs & patients all blamed for NHS woes. Obviously ovaries are to blame.”

Also on Twitter, Paula Baker wrote: “UKIP rationale for NHS “problems”. Too many women doctors. Rationality doesn’t even come close. Its the logic of Idiots.”