Benefits of Refugee Doctors Project Highlighted in LORIC Review

The Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) team at Bishop Grosseteste University have worked with the Lincolnshire Refugee Doctors Project (LRDP) to conduct an independent evaluation of their programme, which has recently completed its first year in operation.

The evaluation, funded by Research England’s Strategic Priorities Fund, involved:

• Summarising the work of the programme to date including ‘The LRDP model’
• Reviewing how the programme has gone so far
• Considering the programme in comparison to other refugee doctors programmes
• Considering the specific challenges that operating in a rural area brings
• Considering the social impact of the programme for its participants, NHS organisations, and other stakeholders
• Writing up a report of the findings

It has highlighted the breadth of organisations that LRDP are involved with across the region and nationally, the benefits of a flexible approach to recruitment, and the value the doctors place on the friendly, “family ethos” of the programme in assisting them with their holistic support needs.

Following the culmination of the review, Vince Ion, Chair of the Board for the LRDP, thanked the LORIC team for their work:

“We are delighted to present this independent review of our work to date, which describes what we have achieved so far on our journey.

We would like to thank all those who contributed to the production of this review, especially our members whose journeys to join us continue to amaze and reward us, and are the reason why we are delivering this project.

This report is a description of our beginning; there is much more to be done, including a further review of our work to detail our effectiveness and value for money and we hope to commission this in the next few years.”

The report will be used by Lincolnshire Refugee Doctors Project to support their business strategy and also to raise awareness of the programme, and of refugee doctors in the UK.

If you would like to discuss how the LORIC team can support your business or organisation please contact loric@bishopg.ac.uk