Five Palestinian nurses have joined Addenbrooke's as part of a NHS pilot scheme to recruit medically trained refugees.
The group are amongst 27 refugee nurses from Lebanon and Jordan who arrived in the UK in January.
All of them have qualified as nurses in their home country and are resuming their nursing careers in hospitals across England.
Before coming to Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH), the group spent four weeks on an intensive course in Liverpool, to refresh their nursing skills and introduce them to working in the NHS and the behaviours, values and professional standards expected.
They were also given language support.
They start work on the wards next week, initially employed in healthcare support worker roles.
Each will need to complete the necessary English language assessments and NMC processes in the coming months, before becoming registered nurses in England.
Zainab and Ibrahim are from Beirut and recently graduated from their nurse training.
When they signed up to the NHS scheme, Cambridge was their first choice of places to work in England.
Coming to the UK was a dream when I was in Lebanon, I still can't believe I'm here.
Zainab
Zainab will start work on a short stay medical ward. She said:
"I just wanted to live in a safe place and feel that I could get on with my career without having to worry about my security all the time.
"I want to be a professor one day so this opportunity is a dream come true."
Ibrahim is due to work on an assessment unit. He said:
"There is no future for Palestinians in Lebanon but here there is progression and opportunity.
"I am a Manchester United supporter and grew up watching the English premier league. I can't wait to go and see Cambridge United play and support my new team."
It's been an emotional rollercoaster but it's worth the wait
Dima
Dima is also recently graduated from nurse training in Lebanon and is joining the team working on an acute frailty ward. She said:
"I would really love to work in research and develop a career in neuro care.
"This whole experience has been an emotional rollercoaster and while we're very lucky to be here, it doesn't make us forget everyone we've left behind in Lebanon."
There was no future for me or my career but now I have something to look forward to.
Yasmine
Yasmine and Rana both have extensive experience working in adult and paediatric intensive care wards in Beirut and will be joining critical care teams at CUH.
They're looking forward to using their experience and becoming registered nurses in the NHS.
All five nurses are keen to build their careers at CUH, benefitting from the hospital's links to Cambridge University and world-leading research.
Rana said:
"Starting a new life in Cambridge is tough, but as a group we are looking after each other and we've had really great support from the teams here at Addenbrooke's."
The pilot programme is being delivered by NHS England and NHS Improvement in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), RefuAid, Reset and Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB).
According to UNHCR statistics, at the end of 2019 there were 133,094 refugees, 61,968 pending asylum cases and 161 stateless people in the UK.
Of these, many have previous experience in a range of healthcare roles including nursing.
In addition, TBB and DHSC estimate that there could be at least 1,200 refugees with professional healthcare backgrounds in Lebanon and Jordan seeking long term solutions to be lifted out of displacement.
So far, 34 refugee nurses who were already living in the UK and 52 refugee nurses who were living in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, have taken part in the programme.
International recruitment is a key part of the government's commitment to increase the nursing workforce in England by 50,000, by 2025.
Welcome to CUH and thank you for choosing to join us.
Lorraine Szeremeta, CUH chief nurse
Welcoming the nurses to Addenbrooke's, CUH chief nurse Lorraine Szeremeta said:
"CUH will be providing you with ongoing pastoral support and further training to make sure everyone benefits from this scheme.
"You have already proved your skill and dedication and we look forward to supporting your careers in the future."