§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health ho has responsibility for(a) co-ordinating the international recruitment efforts throughout England's eight regions, (b) ensuring consistent standards and cost-effective best practice in employment, (c) developing agreements between Governments, (d) ensuring international co-operation and the recruitment and exchange of health care professionals and (e) ensuring that developing countries are protected from targeted recruitment. [71505]
§ Mr. HuttonThe national health service employment branch of the human resources directorate at the department has responsibility for the policies on international recruitment, including issuing guidance to the NHS and establishing government to government agreements.
Workforce development confederations work with the NHS to ensure that recruitment is carried out in line with the Code of Practice for international recruitment and in a cost effective manner.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2002,Official Report, column 781W, on international recruitment, how many international nurse recruitment agencies (a) have failed to adhere to the code of practice and (b) NHS organisations have been instructed not to deal with; [71573]
(2) when the final list of nursing agencies which comply to the code of practice on ethical nursing recruitment will be posted on his website. [71506]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department has written to 45 agencies inviting them to provide references from national health service employers to confirm that they are complying to the principles of the Code of Practice.
The list of agencies who have submitted references will he placed on the website on 1 August.
875W
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many international recruitment co-ordinators there are in each NHS region; and what their budget is for(a) 2000–01, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [71507]
§ Mr. HuttonWork force development confederations employ individuals to lead on international recruitment. Some work force development confederations have pooled resources to appoint co-ordinators across boundaries. The table shows the number of co-ordinators in each directorate of health and social care.
Number of co-ordinators South 6 Midlands and Eastern 5 North 5 London 3 The first regional international recruitment co-ordinators took up post late in 2000–01. £6 million was available to them for recruitment, retention and return. In 2002‱0 £1 million to date has been devolved to the national health service for international recruitment. Funding for 2003–04 has yet to be agreed.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the performance of the Director for International Recruitment in 2001–02. [71574]
§ Mr. HuttonIn accordance with the human resources policy of the Department, all staff working for the Department are appraised but the content and outcomes of the appraisal are confidential.