Use skills of refugee doctors, says BMA

The valuable skills of hundreds of refugee doctors are not being put to the best use, according to figures published today by the British Medical Association.

Marking National Refugee Week, the BMA highlighted the contribution made by refugee and asylum-seeking doctors who are working, or trying to work, in the NHS.

Nearly a thousand (955) have registered on the BMA's database of refugee doctors, yet only 57 report that they are practising. Although the BMA estimates that the actual number who have found work is higher, it is thought unlikely to be more than 150 (16%) of those on BMA records.

Many of the doctors who are in contact with the BMA have refugee status, but have not yet passed the exams needed to practise in the U.K - often because they are unfamiliar with the system, or are struggling to fund studies.

Dr Edwin Borman, Chairman of the BMA's International Committee, says that the NHS would benefit hugely if more support and training were made available to refugee doctors: "The skills of medically qualified refugees are badly needed and it's ironic that so many are unable to work. It costs £250,000 to train a British medical student to become a doctor, but as little as £10,000 to prepare a refugee doctor to practise. From August the European Working Time Directive will impose new limits on junior doctors' hours, making it even more important that the NHS makes the best use of refugee doctors."

The BMA has welcomed recent steps by the Department of Health and the General Medical Council to give greater support to refugee doctors. However, it believes more could be still done.

At the BMA's annual conference this month, there will be a call for fairer rules on visas and benefits, and measures to make it easier for refugees to find hospital attachments to prepare them for work in the NHS.

(SP)