NHS turns to India and Philippines for nurses

The NHS is to hire 5,500 nurses from India and the Philippines in an attempt to plug staff shortages, health officials have said.

Prof Ian Cumming, the chief executive of Health Education England, said yesterday that the first batch of nurses had arrived from India, with a total of 500 staff due by March and plans to establish a similar initiative with the Philippines.

He said the plans were “ethically based” as nurses from overseas would receive training in the UK, and be given placements on the basis that they would return to their home countries with new skills.

Joyce Robins, from Patient Concern, said she had “grave” concerns describing the plans as a “desperate, short-term measure”.