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New immigration rules will cost the NHS millions, warns nursing union New immigration rules will cost the NHS millions, warns nursing union
(8 days later)
New immigration rules that will mean lower-earning non-EU workers being deported will exacerbate the shortage of nurses in the UK and cost the NHS tens of millions in recruitment, the government has been warned by nursing leaders.New immigration rules that will mean lower-earning non-EU workers being deported will exacerbate the shortage of nurses in the UK and cost the NHS tens of millions in recruitment, the government has been warned by nursing leaders.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the change, due to come into effect in April next year, will cause chaos in the health service. Under the new rules, non-EU workers who are earning less than £35,000 after six years in the UK will be deported.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the change, due to come into effect in April next year, will cause chaos in the health service. Under the new rules, non-EU workers who are earning less than £35,000 after six years in the UK will be deported.
Related: What happens when the foreign nurses are deported? – cartoon
The RCN urged the Home Office to add nurses to the list of shortage occupations, exempt from the rules, and reconsider the salary threshold.The RCN urged the Home Office to add nurses to the list of shortage occupations, exempt from the rules, and reconsider the salary threshold.
Research released by the RCN to coincide with its annual congress in Bournemouth, suggests that up to 3,365 nurses, who cost £20.19m to recruit, could be affected. But it says that figure could spiral by 2020, particularly, if workforce pressures lead to increased international recruitment, in which case 29,755 nurses, costing more than £178.5m to recruit, could be affected.Research released by the RCN to coincide with its annual congress in Bournemouth, suggests that up to 3,365 nurses, who cost £20.19m to recruit, could be affected. But it says that figure could spiral by 2020, particularly, if workforce pressures lead to increased international recruitment, in which case 29,755 nurses, costing more than £178.5m to recruit, could be affected.
RCN’s chief executive and general secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: “The immigration rules for health care workers will cause chaos for the NHS and other care services. At a time when demand is increasing, the UK is perversely making it harder to employ staff from overseas.RCN’s chief executive and general secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: “The immigration rules for health care workers will cause chaos for the NHS and other care services. At a time when demand is increasing, the UK is perversely making it harder to employ staff from overseas.
The only way for the UK to regain control over its own health service workforce is by training more nurses
“The NHS has spent millions hiring nurses from overseas in order to provide safe staffing levels. These rules will mean that money has just been thrown down the drain.“The NHS has spent millions hiring nurses from overseas in order to provide safe staffing levels. These rules will mean that money has just been thrown down the drain.
The only way for the UK to regain control over its own health service workforce is by training more nurses
“The UK will be sending away nurses who have contributed to the health service for six years. Losing their skills and knowledge and then having to start the cycle again and recruit to replace them is completely illogical.”“The UK will be sending away nurses who have contributed to the health service for six years. Losing their skills and knowledge and then having to start the cycle again and recruit to replace them is completely illogical.”
The rules, part of home secretary Theresa May’s plan to “ensure that only the brightest and best remain permanently” will apply to all people in the UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).The rules, part of home secretary Theresa May’s plan to “ensure that only the brightest and best remain permanently” will apply to all people in the UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Carter said that overseas recruitment of nurses was likely to continue to rise – although it would be made more difficult as a result of the rule change – because of a crackdown on agency spending and as long as there was a shortage of home-grown people trained to do the job.Carter said that overseas recruitment of nurses was likely to continue to rise – although it would be made more difficult as a result of the rule change – because of a crackdown on agency spending and as long as there was a shortage of home-grown people trained to do the job.
In June, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced new rules that would introduce a maximum hourly rate that agencies can charge for a stand-in doctor or nurse’s services and would cap the amount any trust in financial trouble can spend on them.In June, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced new rules that would introduce a maximum hourly rate that agencies can charge for a stand-in doctor or nurse’s services and would cap the amount any trust in financial trouble can spend on them.
These rules were designed to tackle the NHS’s growing financial problems but Carter said that coupled with the immigration rules, trusts were “being asked to provide safe staffing with both hands tied behind their backs”.These rules were designed to tackle the NHS’s growing financial problems but Carter said that coupled with the immigration rules, trusts were “being asked to provide safe staffing with both hands tied behind their backs”.
He said an ongoing reliance on overseas recruitment is unreliable and unsustainable, due to growing evidence of a global shortage, but the answer was to expand training.He said an ongoing reliance on overseas recruitment is unreliable and unsustainable, due to growing evidence of a global shortage, but the answer was to expand training.
“The only way for the UK to regain control over its own health service workforce is by training more nurses,” said Carter. “Thirty-seven-thousand potential nursing students were turned away last year, so there are people out there who want to embark on a nursing career.”“The only way for the UK to regain control over its own health service workforce is by training more nurses,” said Carter. “Thirty-seven-thousand potential nursing students were turned away last year, so there are people out there who want to embark on a nursing career.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “As the prime minister has made clear, the government wants to reduce the demand for migrant labour.A Home Office spokesman said: “As the prime minister has made clear, the government wants to reduce the demand for migrant labour.
“There are exemptions to this threshold for occupations where the UK has a shortage – but the independent Migration Advisory Committee recommended against adding nurses to the shortage occupation list after taking evidence from groups, including the RCN.“There are exemptions to this threshold for occupations where the UK has a shortage – but the independent Migration Advisory Committee recommended against adding nurses to the shortage occupation list after taking evidence from groups, including the RCN.
“Employers have had since 2011 to prepare for the possibility their non-EEA workers may not meet the required salary threshold to remain in the UK permanently.”“Employers have had since 2011 to prepare for the possibility their non-EEA workers may not meet the required salary threshold to remain in the UK permanently.”
There are a record number of nurses in training, according to the Department of Health, which is working with the Home Office on the issues around overseas recruitment.There are a record number of nurses in training, according to the Department of Health, which is working with the Home Office on the issues around overseas recruitment.