North Mid’s Medical Support Worker programme leads the way for international doctors
International doctors looking to join the NHS can look no further than North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust after the Trust’s Medical Support Worker (MSW) programme was named one of the best in the country and will continue for another year.
Last year, the Trust’s MSW programme – which is supported by NHS England – was the largest single-site programme in the NHS after recruiting 37 MSWs across the Trust.
The programme is designed to help international medically qualified doctors who do not have current registration with the General Medical Council gain experience working in the NHS before becoming registered.
The MSW post offers an opportunity to put clinical skills into practice in a supervised placement, support clinical teams by doing jobs based on their clinical experience and upon registration, the opportunity to stay in the NHS as a doctor and at North Mid.
Launched in 2021, 85 MSWs have been enrolled on the Trust’s programme which represents 8% of MSWs across the NHS.
Since enrolling at North Mid, 70% of the 85 MSWs have passed GMC registration exams and 51 of those now have a GMC licence to practice in the UK.
26 of those were recruited into doctor roles at North Mid with an extra 20 former MSWs also continuing their employment in the NHS as doctors in various specialities.
Abdilah Ali Seid is one of those who has gone through the programme and is now a doctor at the Trust is. He said: “The Medical Support Worker programme at North Mid has been a game-changer for me, providing the necessary training and skills to excel in my healthcare career.
“Through the programme, I have gained valuable experience in patient care, developed critical thinking skills, and enhanced my overall professional competencies.
“The MSW programme has undoubtedly opened doors for me in the healthcare field, and I am grateful for the opportunity it has given me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of local patients."
Chukwunonso Jac-Okereke, MSW team lead and programme manager, said: “Our MSW programme is comprehensive; offering international medical graduates in the process of obtaining GMC registration the opportunity to gain NHS experience whilst utilising their skills and training to offer clinical support and contribute to service delivery.
“Most importantly, it has been very rewarding for the Medical Support Workers serving as a steadfast and sure path that catered for their well-being, bridged the gap in clinical practice, accelerated the process of registration with the GMC, and provided a seamless transition to a doctor role in the NHS.
“Here at North Mid the programme has made substantial contributions to excellent patient care and outcomes, sterling staff experience and improved well-being, in addition to showcasing the Trust’s outstanding mark for innovation and improvement.”