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​As a measure to counteract the NHS staff shortages in Gloucestershire, overseas nurses were recruited from all across the globe to fill in the missing vacancy gaps.

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From countries including India and the Philippines, a total of 40 new frontline nurses were signed up to work in hospitals throughout the county under an NHS England scheme.

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These shortages are part of a bigger picture, with an estimated amount close to 40,000 nursing positions unfilled.

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One of the nurses from the new international NHS team, Haila, described her welcoming as ‘warm’.

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She continued on about her experiences so far, saying "The Forest of Dean is a beautiful place and we have really enjoyed getting to know the local area and the people.”

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"We are excited to begin working in the hospital and using our skills to support the local community."

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The rest of her four-person team consists of Sudharani, Tehmy, and Achu, who are all experienced and trained nursing colleagues.

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Although, the overall group includes the total 40 recruited healthcare staff over the last six months.

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The NHS group is currently underway with the induction process which consists of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).

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Once complete, the examination will award them with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) via the Nursing and Midwifery Council, allowing them to practice.

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During the first 12 weeks of their training in the United Kingdom, the overseas staffing group has been provided accommodation and funding by the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

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Then once complete, the NHS Trust has committed to assisting the group in finding permanent accommodation in addition to ongoing pastoral support.

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As for the families of these new nurses, they have plans on bringing them over once they are more settled in.

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It was stated in 2020, around 170,000 of the 1.28 million NHS staff in England are reported to be non-British nationality, totalling 13.8% of the overall amount.

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The director of the Gloucestershire NHS Trust, John Trevains discussed the ‘long tradition’ of ethical recruitment and bringing in international workers to the healthcare service.

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He stated, "recruitment is ethical and that nurses are not being recruited from countries where they have their own shortage of qualified staff".

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As one of the leading agencies, we believe in ethical recruitment and do our best to provide equal opportunities for all o​ur candidates to provide you with the best service we can. If you or anyone you know are looking for healthcare shifts such as general nursing, healthcare assistant, etc., please contact us 020 3225 5581.

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