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| NHS over-reliant on overseas staff, health chiefs warn | NHS over-reliant on overseas staff, health chiefs warn |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The NHS has always relied on overseas staff | |
| A fifth of current NHS staff were recruited from overseas, prompting fears about an overreliance on a non-British workforce. | A fifth of current NHS staff were recruited from overseas, prompting fears about an overreliance on a non-British workforce. |
| The proportion of overseas NHS England staff has risen from 9% in 2009 to 20% in September last year. | The proportion of overseas NHS England staff has risen from 9% in 2009 to 20% in September last year. |
| The British Medical Association (BMA) said successive governments had neglected workforce planning. | The British Medical Association (BMA) said successive governments had neglected workforce planning. |
| The government said the NHS was committed to developing homegrown talent. | The government said the NHS was committed to developing homegrown talent. |
| NHS England statistics show 311,000 employees have a nationality other than British out of a total workforce of 1.5 million. | NHS England statistics show 311,000 employees have a nationality other than British out of a total workforce of 1.5 million. |
| The current long-term plan aims for between nine and 11% of NHS staff to be overseas recruits. | The current long-term plan aims for between nine and 11% of NHS staff to be overseas recruits. |
| Dr Latifa Patel, a chief officer at the BMA, said there was "no point" in targets without adequate funding. | Dr Latifa Patel, a chief officer at the BMA, said there was "no point" in targets without adequate funding. |
| She said: "How many doctors do we have at the moment? How many medical school places do we have? | She said: "How many doctors do we have at the moment? How many medical school places do we have? |
| "Without the funding, we will always have a reliance on overseas doctors." | "Without the funding, we will always have a reliance on overseas doctors." |
| International recruits have been important to the NHS since its introduction in 1948. | International recruits have been important to the NHS since its introduction in 1948. |
| However, the NHS Long-term Workforce Plan warned a growing reliance on overseas staff "leaves the NHS exposed to future global shocks and fluctuations in international workforce supply". | However, the NHS Long-term Workforce Plan warned a growing reliance on overseas staff "leaves the NHS exposed to future global shocks and fluctuations in international workforce supply". |
| Patricia Marquis, the executive director of the Royal College of Nursing in England, said investment in recruiting and retaining the UK workforce was "absolutely critical". | Patricia Marquis, the executive director of the Royal College of Nursing in England, said investment in recruiting and retaining the UK workforce was "absolutely critical". |
| "People from overseas have been the bedrock of the NHS since its inception," she said. | "People from overseas have been the bedrock of the NHS since its inception," she said. |
| "The downside is that we are probably at the point of having an over-reliance on people from overseas and not actually investing in our current workforce and systems to encourage people from the UK to become nurses themselves." | "The downside is that we are probably at the point of having an over-reliance on people from overseas and not actually investing in our current workforce and systems to encourage people from the UK to become nurses themselves." |
| Dr Latifa Patel said targets were pointless without funding | Dr Latifa Patel said targets were pointless without funding |
| 'Richness and experience' | |
| Despite the concerns regarding long-term sustainability, Tracy Pilcher, chief nurse at Nottingham University Trust, said overseas recruits can bring skills, knowledge and passion to their roles. | |
| Dr Patel agreed, saying that "having that sort of international knowledge come into the UK is incredibly important". | |
| "Each doctor is shaped and framed by their experiences, the training they're receiving, environments and areas they've worked in and all doctors will bring that unique experience with them." | |
| This was echoed by Benjamin Andoh, 28, a dietician who specialises in diabetics, who left home in Ghana and moved to Nottingham. | This was echoed by Benjamin Andoh, 28, a dietician who specialises in diabetics, who left home in Ghana and moved to Nottingham. |
| He came to the UK for a higher salary and training opportunities and works at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH). | He came to the UK for a higher salary and training opportunities and works at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH). |
| "The UK gives a specialist dietician like me greater options," he said. | "The UK gives a specialist dietician like me greater options," he said. |
| "I also want to do certain things like training, which is not available in Ghana. | "I also want to do certain things like training, which is not available in Ghana. |
| "In terms of my professional development, it's really helped me." | "In terms of my professional development, it's really helped me." |
| It was a big move for Benjamin, who had not left Ghana before, but he said the hospital's pastoral team had been very helpful. | It was a big move for Benjamin, who had not left Ghana before, but he said the hospital's pastoral team had been very helpful. |
| "They are my family here." | "They are my family here." |
| Tracy Pilcher is chief nurse at Nottingham University Hospital | |
| Its pastoral care for international staff is award winning and has contributed to an unusually high retention rate, particularly for nursing staff. | Its pastoral care for international staff is award winning and has contributed to an unusually high retention rate, particularly for nursing staff. |
| Onyinye Enwezor is the international recruitment pastoral lead. | Onyinye Enwezor is the international recruitment pastoral lead. |
| She said moving to the UK can be "quite disorientating" but "with the right support and guidance they can settle in". | She said moving to the UK can be "quite disorientating" but "with the right support and guidance they can settle in". |
| Since she started in the role two years ago, she said no international nurses had left the trust. | Since she started in the role two years ago, she said no international nurses had left the trust. |
| "Currently, our retention rate is quite high because of the support that we offer." | "Currently, our retention rate is quite high because of the support that we offer." |
| Inconsistent picture | Inconsistent picture |
| Across the Midlands, 17% of NHS staff had non-British nationalities, but the picture is not consistent across England, both geographically and by speciality. | Across the Midlands, 17% of NHS staff had non-British nationalities, but the picture is not consistent across England, both geographically and by speciality. |
| As of September last year, almost one in three NHS staff in London had a non-British nationality. | As of September last year, almost one in three NHS staff in London had a non-British nationality. |
| About 58% of speciality doctors were non-British compared to only 8% of ambulance staff. | About 58% of speciality doctors were non-British compared to only 8% of ambulance staff. |
| Ms Pilcher, said there were specific areas where the trust was particularly reliant on international recruitment, such as occupational therapy and paediatric nursing. | |
| "We know we are not able to recruit them either locally in Nottingham or across the UK," she said. | "We know we are not able to recruit them either locally in Nottingham or across the UK," she said. |
| Despite the importance of international staff, Dr Patel warned there was a "huge retention problem" in the NHS. | Despite the importance of international staff, Dr Patel warned there was a "huge retention problem" in the NHS. |
| The issue applies to both doctors who are UK graduates and international graduates, she said. | The issue applies to both doctors who are UK graduates and international graduates, she said. |
| "You can put as many doctors as you want in the system," she said. | "You can put as many doctors as you want in the system," she said. |
| "But if you're flushing doctors out and not retaining them in those jobs, you're not really going to achieve your end goal." | "But if you're flushing doctors out and not retaining them in those jobs, you're not really going to achieve your end goal." |
| A government spokesman said the NHS had always drawn on international talent. | A government spokesman said the NHS had always drawn on international talent. |
| "The service is stronger for it and millions of patients are grateful for the skilled and compassionate care they have received from staff from overseas," the spokesman said. | "The service is stronger for it and millions of patients are grateful for the skilled and compassionate care they have received from staff from overseas," the spokesman said. |
| Additional reporting: Miguel Roca-Terry | Additional reporting: Miguel Roca-Terry |