Britain’s Refugee Doctors Not Working in the Health Service

MOST refugee doctors living in the UK are not currently working as medics in the health service, a report revealed yesterday.

A survey by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) found that 85% of refugee doctors in the UK who had previously worked in medicine were not working as physicians in the NHS.

More than half (54%) of the doctors were not employed in any capacity, the poll of more than 150 refugees found.

Some of those working were employed in the health sector in an alternative role.

But many were forced to workin unrelated fields such as unskilled labour, taxi drivers, chefs and security guards.

Professor Roger Williams, RCP international director, said: ‘Refugees do not come here out of choice, and our society and health systems may be significantly different from their country of origin.

‘Refugee doctors are a resource that is not leaving the UK, they are here to stay to rebuild their lives and they need our support.’

The RCP report – Refugee doctors: Opportunities for offering support – highlighted a number of measures to improve refugees’ chances of being employed as a doctor in the UK.

These included a central information point to offer advice to refugee doctors on NHS training and careers.

The RCP called on the Government to set up such an information point to provide advice to allow refugee doctors to avoid confusion and delay in getting employment.

The college is helping refugee doctors by giving them access to its library, a private area of its website and to conferences.

They have also encouraged doctors to share their knowledge of the health service