The NHS needs more doctors

Health Minister John Hutton on Monday announced an extra �500,000 for the Refugee Health Professional Steering Group.

The group was set up in 2001 to support refugees with health care skills.

However, a recent British Medical Association report said the UK was failing to make use of refugee doctors.

It said it had 955 refugee and asylum-seeking doctors on its database - but only 57 said they were actually practising in the UK.

Being able to access the right training and support is crucially important for refugee health professionals, so that everyone can benefit from their skills. John Hutton

And it accused ministers of over-looking a potentially productive source of labour which could be used to ease staffing problems in the NHS.

The refugee group, which has already received �1.5m from the government, oversees a range of projects, including language courses, work shadowing schemes and help for doctors and dentists preparing to sit UK regulatory exams.

John Hutton said: "Refugee nurses and doctors have a great deal to offer the NHS and we want to help them use their skills.

"Refugees are not like other international health professionals - most did not choose to come to this country, and may come unprepared for life in the UK.

"They need help getting up to the standards needed to pass the necessary English language tests and clinical exams, and they also need a proper induction into the workings of the NHS.

"Being able to access the right training and support is crucially important for refugee health professionals, so that everyone can benefit from their skills."