International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are an invaluable part of our Trusts workforce and greatly contribute to the diverse teams we have within the hospital…

Transitioning into a different healthcare system presents unique educational and pastoral challenges. However, we heard back in the Friday Five in January that we know we haven’t got it right for all our IMG colleagues and that there is more that we can do.

As a Trust we are dedicated improving the IMG offer, supporting individuals when they join, and throughout their careers with us. From the point of job offer, the Medical Workforce and Education team will send new colleagues a series of welcome emails, highlighting the support available prior to and once they have arrived in Plymouth.

Our Postgraduate Medical Education team currently offer the following:

IMG introductory sessions

These sessions are available to individuals who are due to join UHP or have just started and cover the following key areas:

• NHS structure​
• GP and dentist registration​
• Accommodation
• Money and banking​
• Utilities​
• Transport​
• Food at work​
• Supermarkets – British and international​
• IT support​
• Communication ​
• Education and study leave​
• Wellbeing​
• Life in Plymouth

Events and training

These are scheduled to support IMGs with not only skills support but also social engagement with wider Junior Medical staff groups:

• Access to F1 teaching​
• World café ​
• Horus demonstrations​
• Clinical skills day​s
• Medical examiner service​
• GMC professional skills workshops

For further information on any of the above please visit www.pgmeplymouth.co/international-medical-graduates or contact the PGMC team on plh-tr.pgmcenquiries@nhs.net.

Looking forward

Through engagement work across the IMG network, we have been able to highlight some key themes in relation to areas of development. We are also planning to engage with service lines to get an understanding of what support we can put in place for teams welcoming IMGs and supporting their transition into the NHS from an international healthcare system.

The ambition is to offer the following:

• Centralised IMG support, which is accessible to all and will include an introduction for IMGs to the organisation, Plymouth and to their departments
• Collaboration with the IT team to develop training and streamline access to systems from day one
• A IMG Enhanced Induction policy to support onboarding, shadowing & supernumerary time
• A checklist for new IMGs with key items they need to locate, access, and ask about during their early days in the department
• IMG training for managers who support IMG’s joining the team
• Supervisor meeting checklists to support supervisors in holding effective introductory meetings with IMGs
• Further signposting support to accommodation
• IMG representatives for each service line
• Peer support, including a ‘buddy’ and other IMGs working within the Trust
• Routinely obtaining feedback from IMGs about the induction process, within six months of starting, and using that feedback to improve what is provided
• Seeking clinical input into the programme to ensure content is effective and covers all essential areas
• A feedback loop to ensure we are continuously reviewing our support and highlight any areas for improvement
• A goody bag welcoming new recruits to Plymouth with some key essentials

This list is not extensive. In line with our core values it is important to us that we listen learn and improve from the experiences of individuals joining the Trust and the service lines. Therefore, this list may adapt and change.

If you support IMG’s joining the organisation, we would value your input in terms of your experience and how you approach this in your team and the wider department. Please can you complete the survey on the following link: Service line engagement and feedback (office.com)

If you have any suggestions over and above the list above or you would like to be more involved, please contact liz.hall15@nhs.net.