Up to 2000 doctors with refugee status in the United Kingdom will be offered appropriate training and opportunities to work for the NHS under a scheme announced by the government last week.

The initiative follows recommendations from a Department of Health Working Group on Refugee Doctors and Dentists and will apply to people who have been granted either refugee status or "exceptional leave to remain" under immigration rules.

The British Refugee Council will now set up a voluntary database of refugee doctors and den- tists, including details of their individual skills and specialties, as a first step to implementing the scheme. Those on the database will be given training to ensure that they practise to the same standards as other NHS doctors, and language training will be provided if required. The doctors on the scheme will then be offered "refugee attachments" to the NHS so they can shadow health service doctors. The BMA estimates between 500 and 2000 medically qualified refugees in the United Kingdom could work as NHS doctors.

Deng Yai, policy development adviser with the British Refugee Council, one of the organisations represented on the working group, commented: "Medically qualified refugees currently face a number of barriers to working as doctors in the NHS. They have to pass language and competency tests, which they may not be able to afford. Clinical attachments are difficult for them to find and may require payment of fees."

The working group has suggested that local support networks should be set up to help refugee doctors. Postgraduate deans are being asked to identify a local asylum support officer to take a specific interest in the needs of medically qualified refugees who live within the locality and who have formally registered with the dean. This person may also act, where required, as an advocate for individuals in their dealings with medical bodies. Recognising the financial problems that many refugees face, the recommendations suggest that the General Medical Council should waive the cost of the first two attempts at the tests required for registration as an NHS doctor.

The government is providing £500 000 ($700 000) to start the system.

The Report of the Working Group on Refugee Doctors and Dentists can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk/index.htm

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