The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Net cast wider to recruit NHS nurses

13/09/2006

Nurses who qualified abroad are to be supported to join the NHS.

NHS nurse numbers are currently at record levels but this move will help Boards recruit for 'hard to fill' posts.

It will reach out to a wider pool of people who already have nursing skills, but are currently unable to practice here without undertaking further study and a work placement.

Health Minister Andy Kerr said:

"The NHS needs to plan to have the right staff in the right place to meet future needs. Although staff levels have never been higher, it makes sense to help the NHS draw from as wide a pool of talent as possible.

"Internationally qualified nurses are nurses from outside Europe who have qualifications from their home countries but are unable to take up nursing posts here.

"Many of these nurses are already living in Scotland, doing other jobs, but are seeking a long term nursing career in the NHS and to settle here with their families.

"That's why we are investing £1.25 million over the next two years to help them achieve that by providing practical help and support to obtain registration and subsequent employment.

"As this programme develops, I look forward to internationally qualified nurses contributing to better patients services across Scotland."

The strategy will develop a national database and enquiry point for Internationally Qualified Nurses and will track, monitor and process applications. The strategy has already been piloted successfully in the East and West of Scotland.

A nurse involved in the pilot said:

"Working in the NHS is a great opportunity and I know that I have many nursing skills which can be used to help patients. However it is also very important that we are getting this support to adapt as the role of the nurse is different to that in my country and it takes a bit of time to understand it and use all my skills in the correct way".

It will provide funding, of around £5,000 per nurse, to assist them through the supervised practice process and into permanent nursing positions on successful registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

This will include programme fees and three months placement funding. It will also establish three Regional Overseas Nursing Facilitators to support the nurses, staff and mentors.

Jill Cox, Interim Director of RCN Scotland, said:

"RCN Scotland welcomes the announcement by the Health Minister. We participated fully in the expert working group which was set up to share best practice and consider how Scotland could provide help to IQNs and we fully endorsed the conclusions of the group.

"The announcement today will help IQNs who are living in Scotland and wish to settle here realise their full potential as nurses. It will contribute to the diversity of the NHS workforce and will, ultimately, benefit nurses and patients by expanding and filling roles within the NHS. RCN Scotland has campaigned vigorously for the NHS to have the right number of nurses in place to provide the best patient care and this strategy will contribute to the achievement of that goal."

The strategy follows a report by an expert working group set up to to develop proposals to aid recruitment and retention of Internationally qualified nurses.

Successful applicants will be expected to remain in the NHS for a period of two years and this will be highlighted to them when taking forward the application process.

There is already a Return to Practice scheme which offers similar opportunities for UK/EEA nurses wishing to return to a nursing career in NHS Scotland.

The nursing and midwifery workforce in Scotland has reached a record level and continues to grow as shown below (figures as at September 30, 2006).