Pinoy nurses still in demand in UK, Ireland

On the heels of the conviction of a Filipino-British nurse for murdering his patients, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said yesterday that the demand for Filipino nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland remains high.

In a statement, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz noted there were 739 job openings in the UK and Ireland during the first quarter of 2015 and she was confident that Filipino nurses “have what it takes to get hired.”

She encouraged Filipino nurses to grab the employment opportunities as the demand for professional nurses continues in these countries.

Last week, Filipino-British nurse Victorino Chua was convicted in UK of murdering two patients and poisoning 20 others.

Chua reportedly injected insulin into the saline bags and ampules of patients at the Stepping Hill Hospital, where he was working. Other nurses unwittingly administered the tainted medicine to patients.

Citing the report of Philippine Overseas Labor Office officer-incharge Esperanza Cobarrubias, the official said that for the first quarter of 2015, there was a demand for 739 Filipino nurses in the two nations. These job openings are covered by 12 job orders.

“This is a worthy career opportunity for our Filipino nurses who want to seek overseas employment. UK and Ireland employers provide not only good employment packages, but also, their governments strictly prohibit the charging of placement fees to applicants,” she added.

Baldoz, however, reminded Filipino nurse- applicants that although there is an abundance of career opportunities in the two countries, they should be well- prepared for the process they need to go through in order to land the job.

A registered nurse in the UK receives an annual salary ranging from 21,478 to 27,901 pounds while a nurse in Ireland receives a salary ranging from 29,205 to 35,000 euros a year.