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Refugee doctor potential 'wasted'

18/06/2008

The talents of refugee and asylum-seeking doctors in the UK are largely being wasted, the British Medical Association (BMA) has claimed.

According to the doctors' group, only a minority of these doctors are currently working in the NHS.

It also claims that some hospitals are charging refugee doctors for clinical attachments - their only opportunity to gain work experience in the NHS.

And the BMA says many refugee and asylum-seeking doctors receive insufficient support in overcoming bureaucratic and financial barriers to practising in the NHS.

The BMA currently holds details of 1,199 refugee and asylum-seeking doctors in the UK.

Of these, 172 (14 per cent) are working in the NHS. Over one in five (23 per cent) of the 1,027 who are not currently working in the NHS are 'job-ready', having obtained the professional and linguistic exams needed to work in the UK.

Dr Edwin Borman, chairman of the BMA's refugee doctor liaison group, said: "Refugee and asylum-seeking doctors have done a huge amount for this country, and thousands of NHS patients have benefited from their talents.

"Many more want to contribute to the country that has given them sanctuary but are struggling to overcome bureaucratic and financial hurdles. The NHS could be doing far more to help them gain the knowledge and experience they need to start helping UK patients.

"It's disgraceful that some hospitals are actually exploiting them by charging them for work experience."