Experts have sounded the alarm over the sharp decline in the numbers of international nurses and midwives arriving in Britain, predicting that stricter immigration rules may affect the NHS’ ability to care for patients, reports The Independent – and highlighting a rise in racism.
Between April and September there was a drop of almost 50% in nursing numbers, which has coincided with a slowing of the overall growth of the workforce, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said.
The new figures from the regulator have prompted concerns from experts and healthcare leaders who fear the number of domestic nurses joining the health service will not be able to fill the gap left by international workers.
The national healthcare system has relied on international recruitment “for generations”, they said, warning that plans to tighten visa rules and cut immigration could exacerbate shortages.
Lynn Woolsey, Chief Nursing Officer at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “International recruitment is collapsing, even before further hostile immigration policies come in, while the number of domestic joiners continues to stall.
“With already widespread nursing shortages, with tens of thousands of jobs remaining unfilled, the dashboard is now flashing red for the future of services and patient care.”
She said that at the current rate, the number of domestic nurses joining would not help with the reduction in numbers of overseas nursing staff.
“We need to see a serious, detailed and fully funded plan to grow the domestic workforce and an end to the pursuit of hostile immigration policies,” she noted.
NMC figures show that from 1 April to 30 September, some 6 321 international workers joined the register for the first time – a 49.6% drop compared with the same period last year when 12 534 joined.
This means that only 31.1% of new joiners were from outside the UK during this period – a figure which is usually around 50% the NMC said.
Factors could include better earning potential in different countries, visa changes, and a plan to increase domestic recruitment, the NMC said.
Paul Rees, NMC CEO and Registrar, said: “The high-growth era of international recruitment appears to be ending. At the same time, domestic recruitment is steady.”
Suzie Bailey, director of leadership and organisational development at The King’s Fund, said: “The dramatic fall in international nurse and midwife recruitment and retention should be sounding alarm bells for politicians, health and care leaders, and people who rely on health and care services.
“Recent proposals to cut immigration, tighten visa rules, and even deport those living here legally, risk deepening workforce shortages and putting patient safety at risk.
“These changes don’t just create workforce gaps, they can create fear and run the risk of talented and dedicated staff being made to feel unwelcome. That could lead to longer waits for patients as staff become increasingly overstretched and feel undervalued.”
While the NMC said there was a record number of 860 801 nurses, midwives and nursing associates on its register, it pointed to the growth slowdown between April and September compared with the same time frame last year.
It added that black, Asian or minority ethnic nurses and midwives were being “held back” by experiences of racism.
Rees said the register had continued to become more ethnically diverse – a third of nursing and midwifery professionals are now black, Asian or minority ethnic.
“However, these professionals are often held back by … racism and other forms of discrimination that sadly appear to be growing again in our society.
“Some of our registrants see the situation as being worse now than at any time in the past 30 years, suggesting we have reached a crisis point.”
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