A SOUTH Asian doctor who 'pioneered' services for geriatrics in North Lincolnshire has received national recognition.

Dr Babi Das Gupta is just one of 60 retired and serving migrant doctors to have their work and experiences documented for the archives of the British Library.

The Open University carried out a two-year research project to identify the valuable role South Asian doctors played in the NHS workforce.

Retired Dr Das Gupta, of Scawby, said: "It was wonderful to be selected to be part of this project, which I believe was long over due.

"South Asian doctors had a completely different outlook towards the elderly. "They do not consider them second class citizens."

A staffing crisis in the NHS in the 1960s resulted in more than 60 per cent of consultant geriatrician posts being filled by overseas-trained doctors.

Professor Joanna Bornat, who led the research, said: "Our research shows that many doctors entered the field of geriatric medicine because at that time, it was less well-regarded by UK trained doctors."

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