Editing Migrant Architects of the NHS

{{Infobox book
<!-- |italic title  = (see above) -->
| name              = Migrant Architects of the NHS: South Asian Doctors and the Reinvention of British General Practice (1940s–1980s)
| image             = Migrant architects of the NHS cover.jpg
| caption           = 
| alt               = 
| author            = Julian M. Simpson
| cover_artist      = 
| country           = United Kingdom
| language          = English
| series            = [[Social Histories of Medicine]]
| subject           = [[South Asia]]n migrant doctors
| genre             = History
| publisher        = [[Manchester University Press]]
| pub_date         = 2018
| media_type        = 
| pages             = 336
| awards            = 
| isbn              = 978-1-7849-9130-2
| oclc              = 
| dewey             = 
| congress          = 
| preceded_by       = 
| followed_by       = 
| wikisource        = 
}}
'''''Migrant Architects of the NHS: South Asian Doctors and the Reinvention of British General Practice (1940s–1980s)''''', written by [[Julian M. Simpson]], and published by [[Manchester University Press]] in 2018, is a book which combines archival research, images and interviews to tell the story of the physicians who immigrated to Britain from [[Indian subcontinent|South Asia]] and became [[general practitioners]] (GPs) during the first four decades of Britain's [[National Health Service]] (NHS).

The research in the book is the basis of an exhibition on migrant doctors at the [[Royal College of General Practitioners]] (RCGP), London, the opening of which also marked the launch of the book.

==Content==
The book combines archival research, images and interviews to tell the story of the physicians who immigrated to Britain from [[Indian subcontinent|South Asia]] and entered general practice<ref name=":RCGPEX2018"/> during the first four decades of the National Health Service.<ref name=":OHS">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ohs.org.uk/person/julian-simpson/|title=Julian Simpson|website=www.ohs.org.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref><ref name=":MUP2018">{{Cite news|url=http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781784991302/|title=Manchester University Press – Migrant architects of the NHS|work=Manchester University Press|access-date=4 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> It focuses on physicians from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.<ref name="Pulse2018"/>
 
Intended for students and academic researchers with an interest in the history of migration, South Asian studies, oral history and the history of medicine, the book is also of interest to those curious about the links between the [[British Empire]] and medical migration.<ref name=":MUP2018"/>

The book sets out to write the history of migration and empire back into the mainstream of British history. It does so by looking at the history of a "typically British" institution: the National Health Service. ''Migrant Architects''<nowiki>'</nowiki> central argument is that the NHS in its first forty years was built around general practice and that general practice was fundamentally dependent on, and shaped by, medical migration from the [[Indian subcontinent]]. Simpson also argues that as South Asian doctors were hugely over-represented in the [[working class]] parts of Britain (accounting for 30–50% of GPs in many inner city and industrial areas) they were key to the NHS being able to deliver its core mission of helping the most vulnerable populations.<ref name="MUPBlog"/>

The book concludes with a call for more histories of how migration and empire shaped Britain, with a view to using these new accounts to directly engage in contemporary political debates around migration.<ref name="MUPBlog"/>

==Launch==
''Migrant Architects of the NHS'' was officially launched at an exhibition based on the research done for the book, at the RCGP on 25 April 2018<ref name="MUPBlog">{{Cite news|url=http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/articles/reclaiming-the-history-of-the-nhss-migrant-workforce/|title=Reclaiming the history of the NHS's migrant workforce – Manchester University Press|date=19 April 2018|work=Manchester University Press|access-date=4 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> in the presence of the chief executive of [[NHS England]], [[Simon Stevens (NHS England)|Simon Stevens]] and RCGP president professor [[Mayur Lakhani]].<ref name=":Warrington2018">{{Cite web|url=http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/national/16186411.South_Asian_doctors_lifeblood_of_early_NHS__says_historian/|title=South Asian doctors lifeblood of early NHS, says historian|website=Warrington Guardian|language=en|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref> Both paid tribute to South Asian doctors on the occasion of the approaching 70th anniversary of the NHS.<ref name=":RCGPEX2018">{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcgp.org.uk/about-us/news/2018/april/migrants-who-made-the-nhs-college-pays-tribute-to-gps.aspx|title=Migrants who made the NHS: College pays tribute to GPs who served patients – and the profession – during difficult times in the history of general practice|website=www.rcgp.org.uk|language=en|access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref><ref name=":BIDA2018">{{Cite journal|date=2 June 2018|title=70th Anniversary NHS, the huge contribution made by overseas doctors|url=http://www.bidaonline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/BIDA-Journal-Jun2018-A4x28pp-WEB2-003.pdf|journal=The Journal of the British International Doctors' Association Issue|volume=24|pages=21}}</ref>

Taking up positions in some of the most deprived regions of Britain between 1940 and the 1980s, South Asian GPs were praised by Lakhani as "highly-valued"<ref name="Pulse2018">{{Cite news|url=http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/gp-topics/employment/rcgp-exhibition-highlights-contribution-of-south-asian-gps/20036588.article|title=RCGP exhibition highlights contribution of South Asian GPs|work=Pulse Today|access-date=5 August 2018|language=en}}</ref> colleagues of the communities in which they practised.<ref name="Pulse2018"/>

==Reception==
The book received international press coverage, particularly in the former British colonies in South Asia from where many doctors moved to work in Britain: 
* Bangladesh's newspapers, ''Bangla Tribune'' and the ''[[Dhaka Tribune]]'', both reported on the book and its launch in April 2018.<ref name=":BanglaTribune2018">{{Cite news|url=http://en.banglatribune.com/international/news/1901/Britain-celebrates-contribution-of-Bangladeshi|title=UK celebrates Bangladeshi doctors' contribution {{!}} banglatribune.com|work=Bangla Tribune|access-date=6 August 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name="dhakatribune2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/world/europe/2018/04/26/britain-celebrates-contribution-bangladeshi-doctors|title=Britain celebrates contribution of Bangladeshi doctors|date=26 April 2018|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=6 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}}
* In India, the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' reported on the exhibition and book, commenting that "Indian doctors who worked for it [the NHS] over the decades are being hailed not only for their contribution but for their central role in its development".<ref name="hindustantimes2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/70-years-of-nhs-indian-doctors-seen-as-its-architects-lifeblood/story-fFNE57XG1euMLV9kloLEEO.html|title=Indian doctors seen as architects, lifeblood of Britain's National Health Service|date=26 April 2018|access-date=7 April 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* In Sri Lanka, the ''Sunday Times of Sri Lanka'' noted the role that physicians from South Asia played in making the British [[primary care]] system.<ref name=":TimesOnlineSRiLanka2018">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1042588/how-thousands-of-south-asian-doctors-helped-keep-the-nhs-afloat|title= How thousands of South Asian doctors helped keep the NHS afloat|website=www.sundaytimes.lk|language=en|access-date=7 August 2018}}</ref>
* In New Zealand, Virginia McMillan, correspondent for the ''New Zealand Doctor'', accidentally came across Simpson's research on a visit to London, and responded with a parallel narrative of an Indian physician, [[Sadanand Hegde]], who migrated to New Zealand and practiced there as a GP for over thirty-five years.<ref name="NZDr2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/opinion/pictured/london-digression-duty-done-despite-having-wrong-accent|title=A London digression: Duty done, despite having the wrong accent|date=17 June 2018|work=New Zealand Doctor|access-date=7 August 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* The inclusion of physicians such as Liverpool's [[Shiv Pande]] in the book was welcomed by local politician [[Richard Kemp (politician)|Richard Kemp]].<ref name=":Kemp">{{Cite news|url=https://richardkemp.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/the-debt-that-the-nhs-and-the-country-owes-to-immigrants/|title=The debt that the NHS and the Country owes to immigrants|date=5 August 2018|work=But what does Richard Kemp think?|access-date=2 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06czd0b Interview with Julian M. Simpson, 5 July 2018], [[BBC]]

[[Category:History books]]
[[Category:Medical books]]
[[Category:2018 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Books about immigration to Europe]]
[[Category:Manchester University Press books]]