A PIONEERING North-East initiative is helping more than 60 refugee doctors retrain so they can work in the NHS.

The Refugee Health Workers Programme was set up in Newcastle in 2000 to try to make use of the skills of refugee health workers.

So far, it has signed up 69 medically-qualified refugees, 35 with nursing qualifications and ten dentists.

This makes the North-East one of the most successful regions in Britain in terms of getting refugee health workers on training programmes.

But, because of the length of time it takes to retrain refugee health workers and ensure their language skills are up to scratch, only 18 have actually started working as UK doctors. Two nurses, two hospital technicians, a radiographer and a dentist have also made the transition.

Yesterday, about 120 delegates from the NHS, voluntary sector and councils from across Britain attended a conference in Newcastle designed to encourage other parts of the UK to emulate the North-East's success.

Maggie Stewart, manager of the Refugee Health Workers Programme in the region, said: "Our programme is one of the best performing in the country, and we provide a range of essential support and information for personal and professional development and careers advice.

"But we are constantly looking for ideas to further develop our work to identify refugee health workers and to facilitate their integration into the NHS.

"Bringing people together at the conference is a great opportunity to join resources and expand the work we have already started."

The programme is funded by the NHS in the North-East and the Department of Health. It helps medical professionals entering the country to gain the experience and qualifications they need to practice in the NHS.

The organisers of the scheme argue that, with relatively small funding, many health professionals can be recruited.

One of the first to come through the scheme was an Iraqi doctor named Adnan, who was based at Newcastle.

He fled torture and oppression under Saddam Hussein -and was imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib jail.

"We were woken every day by the sound of people being tortured," he said. "The guards enjoyed their job."

After finally being released, he knew he had to leave Iraq, and he headed for Britain because of England's reputation in the country.

He said: "There is a huge respect in Iraq for England. We believe that British democracy is true."

After his arrival, he was helped to settle in by the North of England Refugee Service and, before long, was studying for the exams which would allow him to practice.