UK faces ‘stormy waters’ in recruiting overseas nurses

THE nursing regulator has warned of potential “stormy waters ahead” over the recruitment of overseas staff.

While around 18,000 more nurses, midwives and nursing associates are registered to work in the UK compared to a year ago, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) warned that travel restrictions and long-term impacts of Covid-19 may hit recruitment.

Numbers on its permanent register have shown the biggest annual rise – from 698,237 in April 2019 to 716,607 last March. The council said this was driven by more UK staff joining and those from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Almost half of the growth was in staff originally trained in the Philippines, India and

Nigeria. Meanwhile, registered nursing and midwifery professionals from the EEA continues to decline, partly due to Brexit, with a 5 per cent drop this year to 31,385.

Andrea Sutcliffe, the NMC chief executive, said: “Covid-19 has meant the vital skills, specialism and resilience of our nursing and midwifery professionals have never been more publicly recognised and valued. However, while the increased figures from the UK and overseas are very welcome, there are potential stormy waters ahead.

“As a result of the pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, we may no longer be able to rely on the flow of professionals from overseas.

“Nor can we afford to ignore existing pressures, exposed and exacerbated by Covid-19, which may challenge the employers’ ability to retain our essential nursing and midwifery professionals.”