Registering for the programme

You should register with the GP National Recruitment Office (NRO) as soon as you know you want to undertake the International Induction Programme (IIP) or need advice about it.

To register, fill-in and submit the online IIP registration form. At this stage you do not need to be registered with the GMC to apply.

They will send your form to the appropriate local NHS England team where you wish to be for your placement and future work.

Once the local lead has approved your application, you will be sent a link to complete the self-test assessment. This will need to be completed prior to your interview.

All forms should be sent to the GPNRO team via email as attachments, in a clear version, correct format and PDF attachment only.

The local education team for the IIP will contact you to arrange a review with the Educational Lead and include access to the self-test assessment. If you do not receive contact from your local team within 5 working days, contact the NRO who will assist you further.

Following the review with the educational lead, they will be able to advise you on the next steps in your application process. This may include:

• advice that you should undertake an unpaid Observational Placement in a GP practice. This can be arranged by the educational lead. You do not need a Health and Care Worker Visa for this
• approval to apply for the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) Assessments
• advice on what further requirements you may need to meet before you can undertake the IIP

The educational lead will inform the NRO of the agreed outcome plan.

The NRO will arrange access to the online educational modules and Associate Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) for 12 months.

Employment options

GPs accepted on to the programme may choose whether to undertake the programme as an educational placement or whilst employed as a GP by a practice.

As part of your Learning Needs Assessment after joining the programme, there may be an agreement that you should receive some clinical and educational supervision to support your induction into UK practice.

This supervision would usually be provided as part of a clinical placement within a training practice. During which time you would be eligible for a monthly bursary of £4,000 per month, whole time equivalent (WTE).

You may however request to receive this clinical supervision whilst directly employed by a practice. This could either be your existing employer or within a new employer.

The benefits of undertaking the programme whilst employed are that you will have a contract of employment with the practice, receive a salary and gain access to employment rights such as annual leave and sick pay.

As an applicant, you will need to consider the relative benefits and disadvantages of both options.

Where you choose to undertake the programme in employment, NHS England is not responsible for finding you employment but may be able to offer some guidance on looking for vacancies. It would however be your responsibility to identify and apply for local vacancies before progressing through the programme.

Where you choose to undertake the programme as a placement, NHS England will identify a suitable practice from its training practice network.

You will have the opportunity to discuss these options further during your Learning Needs Assessment interview.

Please note that there are separate arrangements in place for GPs on the programmes that will require visa sponsorship.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) Assessment

Once the GP NRO has been informed that you will be taking the MCQ Assessment, you may register to sit the MCQ in a UK based Pearson Vue test centre or an approved overseas test centre. Once registered the GP NRO will notify the local NHS England team of your application.

The MCQ assessment must be passed for entry to the programme, where required, and up to four attempts are permitted. For further information visit the MCQ page.

At the same time, you should apply for inclusion onto the England MPL via Primary Care Support England.

Please be aware the MPL application can take up to 3 months, or occasionally longer especially if checks are required from outside the UK.

There is limited financial support to help with formal application. Please visit the financial support and funding page for further information.