Introduction
The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK).
Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation.
Everyone is living in the UK can use the service without being asked to pay the cost of the service.
These NHS services include:
- Visiting by health care team at GP surgery
- Visiting by specialists at hospitals
- Getting treatment or investigations at hospitals
- Receiving help and visit by midwives
- Receiving urgent treatment and support by healthcare professional working in the ambulance services including transported to hospital
The NHS is increasingly looking overseas for qualified doctors to help fill workforce gaps while maintaining the quality of training for all.
The latest estimate is that this group of healthcare professionals accounts for over a third of the medical workforce and therefore represent a hugely important cohort of clinicians.
These doctors arrive in the UK with a diversity of background experience and training, and many will not be familiar with the routine day-to-day practice within the NHS.
In a report by the GMC (Evaluation of GMC Welcome to UK Practice, Kehoe 2019), it was recognised that these doctors need additional support to adjust to working within the NHS.
UK hospital trusts will already run induction programmes for new starters, but the additional needs for doctors joining from abroad also need to be taken into consideration.
These processes will need to start even before the doctor arrives in the UK.
Useful links
How does the NHS in England work? The King’s Fund
This short video explains in full how the NHS works in England (6:33)
International doctors BMA support for IMGs
British Medical Association advice for international medical graduates