The Government is to launch a new programme to help retrain Iraqi doctors and other clinicians.

The Department of Health is seeking a suitably qualified organisation or consortium to provide clinical training and development in the UK for clinical teams from Iraq.

The proposed programme is expected to encompass around 50 clinical teams over a two-year period.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said: "The programme will help the Iraqis to modernise their health care system by updating the knowledge and skills of their clinicians and enabling them to spread that expertise more widely across the country."

The total cost of the programme will depend on how many visits are arranged, the exact size of the visiting teams and the nature of the successful bid.

The successful organisation to provide the training is expected to be announced in October 2005.

For more information click here.