Overseas NHS workers day

This year, we will have a week long celebration, starting on the 3rd of March! We will begin by hosting an event on the Right to Strike for Doctors on Visas. Dr Shams Abdalla, BMA Equalities Officer for the East Midlands and FY2, will be the speaker. You can book tickets for the event below:

DAUK has written to NHS Trusts outlining the Programme for this year’s celebration.

On 10 March, we have a free online Screening and Discussion of the movie ‘NHS Borderlands’ (Bare Life Films), hosted by DAUK, Migrants Organise, MedAct and Patients not Passports groups. This event is part of our NHS Overseas Workers Day Celebration. The screening is also integral to our campaign to end the Hostile Environment in the NHS and beyond, to raise awareness on the various issues faced by migrant NHS health workers in the UK, and to highlight the human impact of NHS charges on migrants. Register here:

Meet the Founder of Overseas NHS Workers Day: Dr Pushpo Babul Hossain

Pushpo is an accomplished International Medical Graduate (IMG) from Bangladesh who has been making waves since she joined the NHS in January 2020. She is a passionate advocate for IMGs like herself, with a strong desire to make the NHS a comfortable and safe place for all. In November 2020, Pushpo became a member of DAUK and has been actively involved in their efforts to improve working conditions for NHS workers.

Pushpo is the founder of Overseas NHS workers day, which was successfully launched to celebrate the contributions of international health care workers. Her advocacy efforts extend to fighting for Indefinite Leave to Remain for all international healthcare workers who have worked during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Beyond her advocacy work, Pushpo is particularly interested in Medical Education. She has taught medical students of Cambridge University as a teaching fellow and has co-founded the “Tackling the NHS Culture Shock” teaching program for fellow IMGs, which has won several awards.

4th March 2022

Overseas NHS Workers Day

THIS DAY WAS AN IMPRESSIVE SUCCESS!

The NHS has always needed overseas workers. Since day one. NHS Overseas Workers are here to help – but this country is hostile to those it asked to help its sick, its frail, its vulnerable, its dying.

Many of you joined us to celebrate Overseas NHS Workers Day: Friday 4th March. We received many testimonials and stories about how overseas workers were being treated – and left short by this country. Scroll down to learn more.

“Until the authorities acknowledge the contributions of international healthcare workers in the NHS and establish measures to retain staff, the quality of care and patient safety will suffer – and that is going to hurt.” – Overseas NHS Workers Day organiser, Dr Pushpo Hossain

We are supporting the Indefinite Leave to Remain Bill which will have its second hearing in Parliament soon.

Sign the petition to reduce ILR fees.

We sent out letters to all Trusts in the UK asking them if they can make this a local event for their own staff. Many did so.

We screened the hard-hitting documentary ‘Hostile’, which shows how people from overseas are being treated by the ‘hostile environment’ – and over 100 of you joined us. Most who did sent us detailed feedback and we will be using that to see what we can do to help overseas NHS workers more than we already are.

Overseas NHS Workers Day, recognised by ‘Days of the Year‘, was a day to remember. A day of hope. A simple reassurance that caring, compassion and determination can and must make a difference to ordinary lives. At a time when Europe finds itself ravaged by war again, your support and comments are even more heart-warming and a reminder that the NHS relies on overseas workers. We will make sure this is not ignored.