Building Bridges is an NHS funded partnership that supports refugee health professionals living in London to restart their careers.

The UK urgently needs more health professionals to meet growing demand for healthcare. Refugee health professionals have a lot to offer – but the return to practicing can be a long and complicated process.

Building Bridges helps people who were health professionals in their home countries to reconnect with their professional careers and work within the NHS. We provide specialist advice, language training, work placements, employability workshops, clinical exam preparation, and clinical attachments.

Between March 2020 and April 2021, 23 refugee doctors supported by the programme joined the NHS workforce. It was just in time to help with the unprecedented demand for healthcare caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. They worked alongside their colleagues, bringing in the wealth of experience and skills, eager to give back to the society that provided them with sanctuary when they needed it.