Detecting tuberculosis in new arrivals to UK

Current guidelines recommend Heaf testing for healthcare workers without prior BCG testing and chest radiography only for those with suspicious symptoms. 3 Doctors from the Indian subcontinent working in Britain have a high incidence of tuberculosis (17 per 10 000 per year), which is thought to represent a high ethnic rather than occupational risk. 4 In view of the risk to patients from doctors with tuberculosis, we need to be confident that occupational health departments are screening doctors effectively and that systems are in place so that the screening status of any doctor working in the NHS can be readily identified. A further three patients were refugees who had been in the country for 2, 4, and 5 years. [...]screening for tuberculosis in new arrivals in general practice is effective in detecting cases early.