§ Lord MacKenzie of Culkeinasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action is proposed to deal with the reported exploitation and poor treatment of Filipino nurses in parts of the United Kingdom healthcare system. [HL3962]
93WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)All members of staff employed by the National Health Service through international recruitment are covered by guidance on international recruitment, published by the Department of Health in November1999. This guidance was complemented by a code of practice published in October 2001 which aims to ensure no nurse is financially exploited during the recruitment process.
The Department of Health does not have the power to intervene in the employment of staff by independent or private agencies. However, at the recent Royal College of Nursing conference the Secretary of State for Health announced that we would be establishing a helpline to advise nurses of their options.
Department of Health officials are currently organising a summit to help the situation. A summit meeting is scheduled for 9 May.
In line with the national minimum standards for care homes, employers must have in place appropriate human resource policies for staffing.