Hundreds of nurses are recruited overseas
VITAL front-line job vacancies have been filled in Devon’s hospitals thanks to 600 nurses who have been deployed from overseas in the last 15 months.
The new recruits are said to have saved the NHS around £3 million in nursing agency and bank costs.
The programme has been so successful that the Devon International Recruitment Alliance team are now branching into other areas where recruiting health and care professionals has been particularly challenging, including radiographers, podiatrists, occupational therapists and care workers for social care.
Among the nurses who have relocated to Devon is Moses Mukama, a nurse at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s South Molton Hospital. He is from Zimbabwe and moved to Devon last month and says he is already settling in well.
Moses said: “I would say to any other candidates looking to work in the UK to start with Devon because everyone is so supportive. They are conscious of culture and ethnicity, and everyone is accepting.
“It’s a nice place to live. I’ve learnt a lot in terms of patient care and I’m really enjoying the work.”
Fellow nurse Joe Chacko, who arrived from India, said: “Working in Devon as a registered nurse is the best decision that I took in my life. I feel happy with the pastoral support I received. I am extremely lucky to have an awesome ward sister and good helpful colleagues.”
Devon follows an ethical code of practice and only accepts applications from nurses and health professionals in so-called “green list” countries to ensure that it does not impact on the health systems of other countries. Nurses have been recruited to work in physical and mental health roles in Devon.
Potential recruits must pass an English language test set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) before being selected for interview. They also have to pass the first stage of an NMC competence test to acquire a visa.
On arrival, nurses have further training and must take a practical test before they can practice as a registered nurse in the UK.
New recruits are provided with accommodation for the first few months and have additional pastoral support to help them settle in and address any additional needs.
Darryn Allcorn, NHS Devon’s chief nursing officer, said: “This programme is having a huge impact on Devon, at a time when recruiting home-grown nurses remains challenging. Having attracted our nurses here, we want them to stay.
“We are developing a local educational programme to support their career development and help them settle. Those skills would also be of use in their home countries if they choose to return in future.”
The Devon International Recruitment Alliance works collaboratively across the county’s NHS hospital trusts to attract staff; rather than trusts competing with one another abroad.