In the news: medical support workers
This week we welcomed Sky News into The Royal London Hospital to do a feature on our medical support workers and the team supporting the new scheme.
During the second wave of the pandemic, The Royal London began supporting the new medical support worker (MSW) programme which is part of a £15m NHS England scheme that enables refugee doctors who have not yet gained full General Medical Council (GMC) registration the chance to help support the NHS during the pandemic.
Mohammad Saoud trained to be a doctor in Syria before coming to the UK, where he is now a medical support worker at the Royal London Hospital.
"I used to work in the radiology department in the military hospital and I saw a lot of cases and people hurt. So it was difficult for me to stay there because I was under huge pressure and I started to be affected mentally," he said.
"It's a big hospital and the team here is very supportive. Since I started here in the ITU ward I get a lot of support from other doctors and when I moved to the radiology department as well.
"I feel that I am safe, supported by the other consultants here which makes me very happy here.”
After training to be a doctor in Yemen, Ahlam Mutahar Muthanna, started working in the humanitarian field, helping people caught up in war and conflict.
When asked about working for the NHS, Ahlam said: "What I found really that has astonished me is that they tackle every aspect of health, whether social or mental wellbeing or environmental wellbeing.
"Before we send patients home we have to send a team of occupational therapists to assess the house, how suitable is it for the patient to go back to their houses.
"And then all the things that have to be arranged at the home is done by the NHS and care also happens at the community level. This is really fascinating to see happening here and I'm very proud to be here with the NHS."
There are now 40 medical support workers working at The Royal London, many who travel from other cities in the UK. The team hope to welcome more medical support workers in the coming months and continue the scheme after the pandemic.
Full interview:
Read more: