§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health from which countries overseas nurses are employed by the NHS; and how many nurses are employed from each country. [431]
§ Mr. HuttonThis information is not held centrally. Information on applications from nurses outside the United Kingdom for registration to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) can be found in the UKCC annual statistical analysis of the UKCC professional register. Information on the number of work permits issued to employers is available from work permits UK.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from foreign Governments in connection with the employment of overseas nurses since May 2000. [423]
§ Mr. HuttonOver the last year we have received representations from the Spanish Government about recruiting doctors and nurses from Spain to work in the National Health Service.
An Inter-Governmental agreement was achieved with Spain in November 2000 to promote closer working between the two countries. As part of this agreement, the first 63 nurses arrived in the north-west of England from Spain on 19 January 2001 to work in four NHS trusts and have now been joined by another 57. Following this 26W successful recruitment, the initiative is being extended to medical staff through a pilot project also being led by north-west region.
I am also aware that the Department has received representations over the last year from:
- Latvia
- Philippines
- Russia
- China
- Tunisia
- Caribbean
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe.
Guidance was issued by the Department on international recruitment which emphasises that all NHS employers must ensure that they do not actively recruit from developing countries who are experiencing nursing shortages of their own.