Hundreds of refugee doctors are being denied jobs in the NHS because of red tape, according to the British Medical Association.

It says as many as 1,500 refugee doctors may be living across the UK.

But senior officials say very few have managed to secure posts in NHS hospitals.

These doctors could make a real difference to the NHS

Dr Edwin Borman, BMA

They have called for more to be done to help asylum seekers who are medically-qualified to work in the UK.

The BMA and Refugee Council established a list of refugee doctors last year.

At present 650 doctors are registered on it. But Dr Edwin Borman, chairman of the BMA's international committee, believes there may be many more.

"We think there could be possibly up to 1500," he said.

"These doctors could make a real difference to the NHS."

Stringent tests

Refugee doctors, like all others who arrive in the UK from outside Europe, need to pass stringent tests before they can work.

These include an assessment of their language and clinical skills and can take at least two years to complete.

Many have to take work in burger bars or on building sites to raise enough money to pay for these tests, which can cost almost �700.

Dr Borman wants refugee doctors to work in the NHS

The BMA wants refugee doctors to be allowed to complete the exams more quickly so they can take up jobs in the NHS.

Dr Borman said: "It is essential that doctors who come from abroad do retrain to meet the standards of practice in the UK.

"But we would like to help them to complete that as quickly as possible and allow them to work in the NHS.

"There are delays in the system. They need to be rectified and we want to get the doctors as quickly as possible to be able to re-establish their careers."

The BMA believes refugee doctors could help the government to reach its targets for recruiting extra doctors.

The government is committed to recruiting almost 10,000 extra doctors over the next eight years.

Ministers have allocated �1m towards a scheme to help refugee doctors to help them complete the tests and enable them to take up jobs in the NHS.