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Experts in Our Midst

Unlocking the global talent within the NHS

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NHS staff in the UK report a non-British nationality

Yet, their global expertise, cultural insights and leadership skills are often overlooked

Experts in Our Midst is changing that.

This programme taps into the deep knowledge diaspora healthcare professionals bring from around the world – turning their experience into real solutions that strengthen healthcare, both in the UK and globally.

Programme overview

Diaspora NHS staff are a powerhouse of global health expertise – so why are their contributions often overlooked?

Since 2022, the landmark Experts in Our Midst programme has been unlocking the skills, insights and leadership of diaspora NHS staff, turning their global experience into practical solutions that improve healthcare in the UK and beyond. Inspired by Global Health Partnerships’ 2021 policy report, Experts in Our Midst: Recognising the contribution NHS diaspora staff make to global health, we’re challenging outdated attitudes and making sure diaspora NHS staff are seen – not just as contributors, but as leaders driving meaningful, systemic change.

Through partnerships with NHS Trusts, Health Boards, Independent Health Providers, and diaspora healthcare organisations across the UK, we’re building the evidence, shaping policy and fostering cross-border collaboration.

We work with healthcare professionals in the NHS and independent sectors, policymakers and global health leaders to ensure diaspora voices don’t just get heard – they shape the future of healthcare.

Beyond policy, we’re pushing for a more inclusive NHS – one that directly values diaspora expertise. By tackling racism, outdated power structures and missed opportunities, we’re driving a shift towards a fairer, more globally connected health system.

The UK has just as much to learn from low-and-middle income countries as it has to offer – whether it’s delivering high-quality care with fewer resources, championing community-led health models, or addressing public health challenges with innovative, adaptable solutions.

Diaspora NHS staff are the bridge, bringing back fresh ideas and global best practices that make the NHS stronger.

NHS engagement

For the NHS to thrive, it must fully recognise, value, and utilise the expertise of its diaspora staff. Their global experience improves patient care, drives innovation and strengthens global health partnerships.

Through the Experts in Our Midst programme, we are working with NHS Trusts, Health Boards, and Independent Health Providers to embed diaspora knowledge into healthcare improvement at every level.

To date, we have partnered with over 15 NHS Trusts and Health Boards across the UK, including Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, to ensure diaspora expertise is not just recognised but actively platformed within NHS organisations.

We are driving change by:

Raising the profile of diaspora NHS staff, ensuring their expertise is recognised, celebrated, and integrated into UK health policy and practice.

Creating meaningful opportunities for diaspora staff to shape both UK and global health strategies, ensuring their insights inform decision-making at the highest levels.

Actively supporting diaspora healthcare organisations by helping them access funding, training, and partnership opportunities, so they can play a bigger role in global health initiatives and support internationally trained NHS staff.

By working across the NHS, we’re building a more inclusive, globally connected, and resilient health system, one where diaspora staff are valued, supported, and empowered to lead change.

Get involved

We are always looking to collaborate with NHS Trusts, Health Boards, and independent healthcare providers to embed diaspora expertise into healthcare improvement. If your organisation is interested in working with us, we’d love to hear from you.

Building the evidence base

To create real change, we need the facts. Experts in Our Midst is gathering the evidence to ensure diaspora expertise is recognised, valued and fully integrated into workforce planning and global health strategies.

We collect first-hand insights, case studies, and data to drive policy change and shape a more inclusive NHS. But while we know diaspora staff play a crucial role in global health, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the full impact of their work.

Our 2023 Diaspora Health Worker Survey shows that two-thirds of diaspora NHS staff are involved in global health activities – from knowledge exchange to international training and policy work. Yet the scale and impact of these efforts remain largely undocumented. Without clear data, their contributions risk being overlooked in workforce planning and international development policy.

That’s why we’re working to fill the gaps. By collaborating with NHS Trusts, policymakers and diaspora networks, we’re turning research into action – pushing for reforms that embed diaspora expertise into NHS decision-making, workforce strategies and international collaboration.

This isn’t just about recognition – it’s about impact. Our research is making sure diaspora NHS staff are seen not just as contributors, but as leaders shaping the future of healthcare.

Experts in Our Midst (2021) – The landmark report that first exposed how diaspora NHS staff are overlooked and set out clear recommendations for change.

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst (2024) – A deep dive into the real experiences of diaspora health workers, highlighting barriers to career progression, discrimination, and missed opportunities – alongside practical solutions for a more inclusive and globally engaged NHS.

Coming soon (2025) – Our latest research, drawing on new insights to push diaspora expertise further up the NHS agenda. Stay tuned.

Diasporas are communities of people who have moved to a new country but still have strong personal, cultural and professional ties to their country of origin

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst reaffirms the vital role diaspora NHS staff play in UK healthcare and global health collaboration. Through personal testimonies, case studies, and quantitative data, the report highlights the benefits of platforming diaspora expertise

Diaspora staff are key to both UK healthcare and global health – but their contributions often go unnoticed. This report puts their voices front and centre, sharing real stories, data and case studies that show why diaspora expertise matters – and how it strengthens health care at home and abroad.

We surveyed 685 diaspora healthcare workers across the UK:

What we found:

– 74% of diaspora health workers say their international experience improves their work in the UK
-35% are actively engaged in global health – volunteering, training or leading projects in their countries of heritage.

Read our report

Join the Conversation

If you are a diaspora healthcare professional with a story to share, we want to hear from you.

Get in touch at experts@thet.org and help us push for real change.

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Journey in Anti-Racism, Research, and Global Health

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst | Dr Zedekiah Sibanda – A diaspora health worker supporting mental health in Zimbabwe

Celebrating the Experts in Our Midst at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst | Lucia Vambe: A diaspora health worker supporting mental health in Zimbabwe

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst | Nchima Mwaba and the Stay and Thrive Project

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst | Supporting Medical Specialisation in Bangladesh – Dr Mesbah Rahman

Voices of the Experts in Our Midst | Mentoring Doctors on WhatsApp in Pakistan – Dr Sidra Hasan

Celebrating the Voices of the Experts in Our Midst

Storytelling is at the heart of all this work, with a focus on platforming diaspora perspectives from across the NHS. Central to this initiative was THET’s Diaspora Staff and Global Health survey, which received 685 responses. Designed to capture the knowledge of overseas health systems and understand how this knowledge is being applied to health at home in the UK, and at home in countries of heritage, THET’s survey data has been coupled with comprehensive focus groups and interviews which are a centrepiece of the “Voices of the Experts in Our Midst” report, launching December 2023 in England and January 2024 in Wales.

Click here to read the England ‘Voices of the Experts In Our Midst’ report.

Click here to read the Welsh ‘Voices of the Experts In Our Midst’ report (English language).

Click here to read the Welsh ‘Voices of the Experts In Our Midst’ report.

Experts in Our Midst: Recognising the contribution NHS diaspora staff make to global health

Our latest pivotal report explores the contribution NHS diaspora staff make to global health. Composing 15% of the NHS’ workforce, their expertise, knowledge and leadership are often overlooked, and as a result, the NHS risks losing its global reputation at a crucial time.

Experts in Our Midst explores the broader current context and promotes the marginalised voices of diaspora NHS staff within the wider, often hostile, environment. We know diaspora NHS staff have always played a valuable role in Health Partnerships. What we did not know was the scale of their engagement, the challenges faced, nor how best to amplify their voices to demonstrate the impact diaspora can have on global health projects.

Read our latest ‘Experts in Our Midst’ report here.

Experts in Our Midst