Support funding allocated for refugees to join the NHS
Posted on October 2021 By Jamie Southwell
Government are welcoming refugees from low-income countries as multi-million pound budget is allocated towards training overseas healthcare professionals.
Health Minister, Edward Argar announced the plans to help those fleeing from their home countries with the support to train them as part of a new way to fill in the understaffing NHS problem growing across the UK.
It was stated at the Nurse Support Programme Celebration and Learning Event taking place in Liverpool, that towards the end of 2021/2022, more than 110 refugees will be provided the training necessary to be placed into NHS professions such as HCA, RGN, and other roles.
Edward Argar discussed the importance of overseas workers in the NHS, saying “It may be called the National Health Service, but its workforce is truly international, with over 200 nationalities represented within its numbers.”
Continuing he noted the news of an additional £5 million funding to the global shortage of quality health workers as well as increasing access to vital services across the world for the most poorest and vulnerable.
He added “This programme is a fantastic example of innovation and cross-system working. It started with a novel idea – to support displaced people with valuable skills and experience into NHS roles. But that idea only reached fruition because of impressive collaboration and teamwork.”
“I am, therefore, delighted to announce that my Department is spending £5m on the Building the Future International Workforce Programme. The Programme aims to address the shortage of quality health workers and increase access to vital services for the poorest and most vulnerable including refugee populations.”
The £5 million programme aims to improve the quality of lives for those in less wealthy countries through training more healthcare workers, including nurses with refugees.
These plans all follow from the decline in NHS applicants over the previous years and the government planning the combat it through recruiting at least 5,000 new nursing staff per year.
Finishing the Health Minister stated “While we are absolutely delighted that the candidates today have chosen to work in the NHS, we know that the world is struggling to train, employ and retain a sufficient and skilled health workforce.”.
