Our Mission
BIDA aims to support, encourage, train and acknowledge the wonderful work of Britain’s international doctors and dentists, without whom our NHS would simply collapse. We also promote understanding, tolerance, equity and fairness – join us, today at Join BIDA | British Internationa
Prejudice gets a pummelling
Endemic racism – even within the NHS – is preventing us from becoming an inclusive society where everybody’s health matters.
That is the view of the chair of our women’s healthcare forum as she reviews the NHS’ Fit for the Future 10-year-plan, and asks why nothing has been done to improve BAME women’s health and reduce the North/South divide.
You can read her thoughts by visiting our BLOGS page. And as founder of the Endometriosis Awareness North charity you will not be surprised to hear her claim that misogyny means sufferers have to wait a decade for a diagnosis.
BIDA would love to engage with anyone who has a view around healthcare inequalities and hear about international #doctors’ experience working within the UK.
Give us your thoughts and who knows? You may be our next guest blogger.
Screen and wipe out this entirely preventable cancer
Our members are backing calls for better testing and greater uptake of vaccinations to beat a form of cancer experts say is 99.8% avoidable.
And, as we come from so many cultural backgrounds, we want to play a big part in raising awareness of cervical cancer in our cherished BAME communities.
Screening rates are markedly lower here for a number of reasons – including stigma around gynaecological issues, language barriers and a lack of effective engagement with the NHS.
Our Women’s Healthcare Chair Dr Anita Sharma is leading the way with a campaign and blog in which she says: “There is enough evidence that barriers in health service delivery, culture, religions and language, the gap in knowledge and awareness, and lack of family support are impacting upon the number of Black, Asian, and Minority women in the UK being screened for breast and cervical cancer.”
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more about the condition and its impact at https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/cervical-cancer north.com/
Fifty Up for BIDA
2025 marked half-a-century of representing international medics in the UK – and through our events, training and sporting activities, 2025 was one to remember.
Our annual conference in Chester proved the perfect opportunity to celebrate those achievements and some of the individuals who have helped us on our way.
This spirit of celebration was also prevalent at the International Science Conference in November, where so many of our team took to the stage.
But the year has brought challenges as the NHS continues to negotiate troubled waters such as resource and particularly, staffing. Even more disturbing has been the prejudice our members experience, and the modern BIDA stands firmly for fairness, whether that be addressing issues in training or ensuring every patient and member of staff is treated equally.
One of our major achievements has been in the backing of health campaigns and charities such as Endometriosis Awareness North and the Pink Chai Asian women’s breast cancer campaign.
There will be so much more in the coming months, so keep it here and enjoy a happy and peaceful New Year!
Low pay sends graduates away?
Speculation is rife that the case of a graduate solicitor deported because she didn’t meet the requirements of her visa, could have implications for international medics in a similar situation.
Hilda Kwoffie arrived on a student visa in 2016, but despite notable work on behalf of the vulnerable, she has now been forced to return to Ghana because she doesn’t earn enough to meet a pay threshold.
According to GP Online, low pay “could drive international medical graduate (IMG) GPs out of the UK because they do not meet minimum salary requirements for a visa, GP leaders have warned.”
Read more about this at https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/legal-aid-solicitor-forced-to-leave-uk-due-to-salary-threshold/5125377.article
So, members, what is your view? And is this something you would like BIDA to campaign on?
From the President
Watch a message from our President on the 50-year-anniversary of BIDA and why we are founded on a philosophy of “friendship, dignity, respect and service above oneself.” https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C1HVB3oy2e8