International Medical Graduate Induction Launches

Members of our Ethnicity and Health Unit have been working with partners to launch a new standardised induction for International Medical Graduates (IMG) to ensure medics that have qualified outside the UK are welcomed, included and valued in the profession from day one.

The new comprehensive induction programme has been in development since 2019 and is now ready to be implemented across NHS Trusts. The induction and related guidance was launched at an online webinar that attracted over 1500 live attendees and has now reached over 2,200 people.

In 2021 the total number of licensed IMGs in the medical workforce was over 77 000, with IMGs making up 34% of GP trainees. Currently 41.9 percent of the NHS medical workforce are from ethnic minority backgrounds. The aim of the induction is to provide NHS Trusts guidance on induction for newly recruited IMGs.

The objectives of the IMG Induction Programme are:

• To explain why induction is vital, and how it is necessary if IMGs new to the NHS are to understand what they need to know, and be able to do, in order to work effectively as NHS professionals.

• To set minimum standards for Trust induction programmes.

• To set out what induction should include, and how it should be accompanied by mentoring, supervision and ‘buddying’.

• To provide helpful signposting and links to further learning modules to help transition to UK practice.

An ‘important step’

Professor Mala Rao, Director of our Ethnicity and Health Unit, Lead, IMG Induction Programme Development and former Medical Adviser, Workforce Race Equality Strategy NHSE, chaired the induction launch and said:

“It is quite astonishing that, despite the lack of a comprehensive induction programme for newly recruited international medical graduates being highlighted in a number of reports published during the past decade, as a likely explanatory factor for the disadvantages they face throughout their career in the NHS, no action had been taken until now.

“The preparation of the IMG Induction programme and its launch in June was therefore a significant milestone in the NHS England workforce recruitment and development strategy. As the list of contributors highlights, the guidance was prepared with the enthusiastic support of many colleagues, from among the IMGs and UK medical graduates working in the NHS. However, I had not anticipated the level of interest which the launch revealed. The speakers were drawn from all the organisations with a responsibility for one or other aspect of IMGs' careers, ranging from NHS England and HEE, to the GMC and BMA and the webinar was attended by approximately 1500 people. It was an enormous success and a fitting platform on which to begin the process of implementing the induction across all the Trusts in NHS England.

“This is the most important step taken so far, in ensuring better integration, performance and retention of IMGs recruited to the NHS, and if embedded into NHS employment strategies, is likely to contribute to improving patient safety and quality of healthcare.”

Commitment, collaboration, and cooperation

The induction programme is testimony to the commitment, collaboration, and cooperation of all the appropriate NHS organisations, including NHSEI, HEE, BMA, GMC, and MPS. The launch was an opportunity to celebrate the collaboration and reflect on the need for the continuing partnership to support IMGs throughout their careers.

Watch the launch webinar:

 Webinar schedule:

Welcome and introductions: Professor Mala Rao (Medical Adviser, Workforce Race Equality Strategy NHSE & Lead, IMG Induction Programme Development) Working together to achieve a common purpose

1. Setting the scene: The IMG experience

• Dr Shevonne Matheiken (Specialty Registrar in Psychiatry, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust)

2. Piloting the induction programme, experience from the frontline:

• Dr Sujesh Bansal (Consultant Anaesthetist, Director, Manchester International Fellowship Programme & Associate Director of Medical Education, Manchester University NHS FT Trust)

• Zarina Khan (Head of Quality (Postgraduate Medical Education), Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust)

• Dr Sameer Ahmed (Consultant Anaesthetist and NUTH International Medical Graduate Tutor, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

• Dr Saeed Ahmed (Consultant Interventional Nephrologist and General Medicine Physician, Clinical Director Medical Specialities, BAME staff Network Lead, International Medical Graduate Tutor, South Tyneside Sunderland Foundation Trust

• Tracy Mitchell (Head of Medical Staffing, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

• Dr Roshelle Ramkisson (Consultant in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Director of Medical Education, Associate Medical Director, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust)

• Dr Bhathika Perera (Consultant Psychiatrist, International Medical Graduate Lead, Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust)

3. Perspectives from key contributors to the development of the induction programme guidance

• Why is it important?

• What do we hope to achieve?

• What are the contributions of partner organisations?

• How will it benefit IMGs, employers, and patients?

• What has been achieved to date and what is planned?

• Professor Vijay Nayar (Primary Care Lead for Differential Attainment, Health Education England)

• Dr Andrew Barton (London Regional Coordinator, British Medical Association)

4. Findings from the evaluation #IMGInduction

• Dr Stephanie Armstrong (Associate Professor, School of Health and Social Care, University of Lincoln)

5. What does the IMG Induction programme guidance include 

• Professor Mala Rao

6. How this fits with the NHSE Workforce Race Equality Strategy

• Professor Partha Kar (Director of Equality, Medical Workforce, NHS England)

• Showcasing the HEE's eLFH induction learning resource for newly recruited IMGs

• Lynne Rustecki (Education Lead, Specialist Clinical Communication and Linguistic Services, London and Southeast Professional Development Team, Health Education England)

• Dave Beardmore (Senior Project Manager, e-Learning for Healthcare, TEL, Health Education England)

Why the induction is everyone's responsibility

7. How Trusts will be encouraged and supported to develop their roadmaps

• Cheryl Samuels (Deputy Director of Workforce Transformation – London Region, People Directorate - NHS England and NHS Improvement)

• Dr Zoe Penn (Medical Director and Lead for Professional Standards, NHS England and Improvement)

• Vicky Voller, Director of Advice and Appeals, NHS Resolution

8. How we can all support the implementation of this guidance

• Dr Ramesh Mehta (President, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin [BAPIO])

• Dr Chris Agbo (President, Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain [MANSAG])

9. Next steps - views from among the partnership's leaders

• Dr Chaand Nagpaul (Council Chair, British Medical Association)

• Dr Navina Evans (Chief Executive Officer, Health Education England)

• Dr Rob Hendry (Medical Director, Medical Protection Society)

• Tista Chakravarty-Gannon (Head of Outreach Development and Support Operations and Head of Welcome to UK Practice, General Medical Council)
  
  

10. Questions from the audience

More:

• Elearning For Healthcare: Welcoming and Valuing International Medical Graduates: A guide to induction for IMGs recruited to the NHS

• Guidance document: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Welcoming-and-Valuing-International-Medical-Graduates-A-guide-to-induction-for-IMGs-WEB.pdf

• The BMJ: NHS launches first standardised induction programme for international medical graduates

• NHS Employers: Welcoming and valuing international medical graduates

• On Twitter: #ImgInduction