Refugees to the NHS

[EmmaH]

Is it true that the National Health Service plans to recruit refugees, if so why and how do they plan to go about it?

[KellyH]

The UK health minister John Denham has announced a �500,000 fund to help refugees swell the ranks of NHS doctors. There are approximately 500 to 2,000 medically qualified refugees living in Britain, and with the NHS suffering from a shortage of doctors, the reasons for this recruitment drive are fairly obvious. A portion of the grant will be given to the British Refugee Council to establish a database of medically qualified refugees, the organisation will also use the money to provide mentoring attachments to NHS doctors, and help with language training and medical refresher courses.