War displaces vast numbers of people, including the healthcare professionals responsible for caring for its victims. Since February 2022, the ongoing war in Ukraine has forced many highly trained clinicians to relocate, many of whom have sought refuge in the UK. Given the NHS’s acute workforce shortage, this raised a central question: could these professionals, who bring extensive training, clinical experience, and a strong commitment to patient care, be integrated into the UK healthcare system? Or would immigration processes and professional registration requirements leave them unable to contribute to a sector in clear need of skilled staff?
While many displaced Ukrainian medics have been able to rebuild their lives and careers in other European host countries, it was uncertain whether the NHS would be in a position to create and facilitate similar opportunities. For me, as an author, former project manager for a humanitarian charity covering victims of war, and one of many displaced Ukrainians, this question carries personal weight.
My journey in helping to connect aid efforts and healthcare professionals between Britain and Ukraine began shortly after I arrived in April 2022 under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, when I obtained a formal visa status. As I adapted to my new circumstances and focussed on returning to work to regain normality, I was invited by Prof Roman Cregg, President of the Ukrainian Medical Association of the UK (UMAUK), to assume a leadership role within the organisation. The UMAUK already has a 15-year history working with healthcare professionals and major UK healthcare organisations. My new role included organising multidisciplinary groups of doctors and nurses, establishing governance processes and building sustainable partnerships.
However, as the war intensified and the number of displaced Ukrainians in crisis grew, it became clear that a new strategy was needed to support incoming medics and facilitate the integration and fast-tracking of highly skilled professionals. Inspired by the work of UMAUK and other charities such as RefuAid, I established the Ukrainian Medical Charity (UMC), which was officially registered in July 2023.
The UMC team’s first priority was reviewing the existing NHS system to identify key areas where displaced clinicians could contribute and where processes could be improved. The NHS faces a staggering workforce shortage of up to 100,000 clinical staff, however, for many reasons, including the NHS budget crisis, the system lacks the flexibility to adapt in real time, even though displaced medics could help alleviate pressures. Other countries, including the Netherlands, Portugal and Hungary, have instituted changes, including supervised practice routes and accelerated pathways, to enable qualified clinicians to contribute while completing formal recognition.
Transitioning into the NHS is complex. Although the service faces a critical workforce shortage, securing professional recognition is a slow and demanding process. The uniform, highly structured framework requires all doctors, regardless of prior experience, training background or refugee status, to follow the same training and registration routes. The GMC pathway, which ensures patient safety and upholds professional standards, can present additional hurdles for clinicians trained outside of the UK, highlighting potential opportunities for streamlining and supporting integration. International medical graduates must meet several requirements, including demonstration of English language proficiency and completion of various competency assessments, in addition to multiple administrative steps, before qualifications are validated.
While the UK maintains some of the most stringent medical registration standards in Europe, ensuring high-quality care, these standards can also create significant barriers for skilled practitioners seeking to join the workforce, particularly when compared with the more flexible, supervised practice models or funded opportunities adopted elsewhere.
The UMC now maintains an established database of Ukrainian medical professionals living in the UK and continues to examine the challenges they face as clinicians with overseas qualifications. This work helps to identify where processes within the system could be streamlined and where targeted support would be most impactful. The charity is in ongoing discussions with multiple UK stakeholders, including the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and NHS London, to advocate for displaced Ukrainian healthcare professionals currently living in the UK. These discussions highlight not only the bureaucratic and procedural barriers people are facing, but also the psychological toll of war, displacement and prolonged professional uncertainty.
At the Health Foundation Health Services Research UK roundtable in July 2024, stakeholders gathered to address the potential contribution of healthcare refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere. At present, there is a significant backlog of refugee clinicians: according to RefuAid, over 400 refugee clinicians are currently supported across the UK, with around 300 doctors still waiting for approval to work within the NHS. Combined with the emotional and logistical challenges of resettlement, these delays make establishing a professional foothold in a new country especially difficult.
Uniting healthcare professionals both within the UK and those displaced by war has never been more important. A coordinated, professional perspective and collective voice can play a critical role in shaping policy by highlighting practical barriers faced by international clinicians, and identifying where integration pathways could be strengthened. Through continued engagement with government departments and NHS bodies, charities such as the UMC help ensure that lived experience and frontline expertise inform workforce planning, integration strategies and future reforms.
Strengthening these networks and bridging communication between individuals, communities and institutions will contribute to a more responsive, resilient and inclusive healthcare system, one that recognises the value of displaced professionals and enables them to rebuild their lives and careers while supporting the health of the nation.
About the Ukrainian Medical Charity
Since its establishment, the UMC has developed active teams across the UK, with established presence in London, the Midlands, and Oxfordshire. We maintain medical-supply storage sites in the Midlands and Oxfordshire and have built strong partnerships with leading healthcare organisations, such as the Health Foundation, British Red Cross, St John Ambulance and others. The UMC regularly brings members of the Ukrainian medical community into national steering groups to inform policy discussions on refugee health and broader healthcare system challenges.
Authors
Oksana Lovochkina
Oksana is CEO of the Ukrainian Medical Charity and Head of the Foreign Council of the St Panteleimon Order (UK). She leads initiatives supporting the integration of conflict-displaced healthcare professionals into the UK system and works with national stakeholders on workforce and health policy.
Inna Soldatenko
Inna is a doctor based in the United Kingdom, with experience in supporting internationally trained clinicians. Her work focuses on integration pathways and the professional adaptation of overseas-qualified doctors within the UK healthcare system.
Tatum Cummins
Tatum is a research neuroscientist, independent editor and science communicator supporting the Ukrainian Medical Charity.
Roman Cregg
Roman is the President of the Ukrainian Medical Association of the UK and a consultant in pain medicine. He has extensive experience in clinical leadership, medical education and supporting international medical professionals in the UK.
Declarations of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.