A vital part of the NHS
The National Health Service in the UK is a critical part of the nation, but it becomes even more so during difficult times – such as a pandemic.
In the midst of the global Covid-19 health crisis, the NHS relied on a large number of workers who are from overseas to keep the organisation running and to take care of the people who need it.
These overseas workers are vital to the NHS’s mission and running. That’s why Overseas NHS Workers Day was created, and why these people deserve to be celebrated.
The date for the next Overseas Workers Celebration is Friday 7 March 2025.
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2024
Trusts and organisations across the country joined us on the first Friday of 2024 for the fourth annual Overseas NHS Workers Day. While Overseas NHS Workers Day is a chance to celebrate the value that all overseas workers bring to the NHS, in 2024 DAUK highlighted the contributions of international medical graduate (IMG) GPs. It followed the release of the book ‘Why Can’t I See My GP?’ by DAUK vice chair Ellen Welch, which shines a light on the crisis facing general practice. NHS trusts, health organisations, patients and the general public joined us in showing how much we value our overseas workers, sharing some of the stories of IMG GPs and celebrating their successes, as well as those of overseas workers across the NHS.
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2024
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2023
In 2023, we held a week long celebration which started on the 3rd of March! We began 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, was the speaker.
On 10 March, we held 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 was part of our NHS Overseas Workers Day Celebration. The screening was 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.
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2023
On 10 March, we held 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 was part of our NHS Overseas Workers Day Celebration. The screening was 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.
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2022
In 2022, 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.
Hostile Documentary
NHS Overseas Workers Day 2021
Overseas NHS Workers Day on Friday 5th March 2021 was a recognition of the extraordinary contribution that people who have migrated to the UK have made in the fight against COVID-19. The DAUK, with support from UNISON, The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Royal College of Physicians, British International Doctors Association, Egyptian Doctors Together and the NHS Arab Doctors in the UK support group.
“DAUK is proud to lead an initiative to celebrate the diversity, companionship and strength our international staff bring to the NHS by observing the first ever ‘Overseas NHS Workers Day’” said organiser Dr Pushpo Hossain.
“We want to applaud the contribution of our overseas colleagues during the pandemic and raise awareness of some of the issues they face as international staff.”
“DAUK is proud to lead an initiative to celebrate the diversity, companionship and strength our international staff bring to the NHS by observing the first ever ‘Overseas NHS Workers Day’” said organiser Dr Pushpo Hossain.
“We want to applaud the contribution of our overseas colleagues during the pandemic and raise awareness of some of the issues they face as international staff.”
Learn more
Support our campaigns
Write to your MP.
Support Campaigns
Will you support us?
We need your support to continue our campaigns. Support our work by donating to our crowdfund here.
Donate here