asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to encourage and assist refugee doctors to work in the National Health Service. [HL4321]

A number of strategic health authorities (SHAs) fund programmes of work to support refugee doctors to become “job-ready” for the National Health Service.

In addition, NHS employers working as part of the NHS Confederation, have agreed with SHAs, the European Refugee Fund and the Home Office, to implement a national programme that enables refugee healthcare professionals to compete in the NHS job-market.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many refugee doctors based in the United Kingdom who have met all the requirements to work in the National Health Service are still unemployed. [HL4322]

This information is not collected centrally.

The British Medical Association (BMA) maintains a voluntary register of refugee doctors. As of 4 June 2008 the BMA register shows that 234 refugee doctors are “job ready” and currently not in employment as doctors in the National Health Service.

Source: www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/refugeedoctorstats june2008.