An Indian doctor in Britain who could not become consultant on account of his race has been awarded record damages of £635,000, according to the Guardian Web site.
Even though officials knew immigration rules were to be changed, they told Vijay Jadhav, a staff grade doctor, he could not progress to consultant status because his visa would run out before the training could be completed.
There are 1,250 more overseas doctors in Britain who are said to have been subjected to the same restrictions.
Three have begun legal action against the Department of Health and the training authorities.
The size of the compensation reflects Dr Jadhav's potential loss of earnings, calculated on the basis that he might reasonably have expected to become a consultant in 1999.
The Web site quoted Dr Jadhav, 45, as saying: "This whole ordeal has been terrible. I have the experience and training to be a good surgeon and I am extremely disappointed that I have been deprived of the opportunity to fulfil that goal. The level of hostility and unfairness that has been shown towards me has been beyond belief. No amount of money can bring back those lost years."
He said the case had exposed racism in the NHS. "Overseas doctors are lured here with promises of training but then find themselves held back. Things have improved but progress is very slow."
His lawyer, Sadiq Khan, said: "At a time when the UK is crying out for consultants and surgeons, it is astonishing that well qualified overseas doctors have been deprived of the opportunity to become surgeons."