Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110809

James Buchan, MA (hons), PhD, Faculty of Social Science and Health, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, Clerwood Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 8TS, United Kingdom, Pippa Gough, MA, Kings Fund, 11 Cavendish Square, London, United Kingdom, and Amy Hagopian, MHA, PhD, University of Washington, Box 354982, 4311 11th Ave, NE, Seattle, WA 98195-4982, 206-616-4989, hagopian@u.washington.edu.

The upward trend in the numbers of nurses and other health professionals coming to the UK is, in part at least, a direct consequence of deliberate policy by the Department of Health in England, which has used international sources to support staffing increases in the National Health Service (NHS ). The numbers of nurses coming to the UK has increased rapidly in recent years- with approximately half of the annual number of “new” nurses now coming from non UK sources. International recruitment offers the prospect of a quick fix, with the import of ready made nurses, who would otherwise take between three years to train if the “grow your own” option was selected. The Department of Health has also issued a Code of practice on international recruitment of staff to the NHS. This paper will draw from ongoing research into international recruitment of health workers in London currently being undertaken by the King's Fund (an independent health policy institute) and supported by the Royal College of Nursing. The paper will profile those London based nurses who have trained overseas, using data from a survey of several hundred nurses; will outline the national policy context; and will highlight the strengths and limitations of the Code of Practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants attending this session will develop an understanding of the critical policy issues related to the high level of international recruitment of nurses to the UK, including the effect of the Code of Practice on international recruitment of health workers, and will learn about the profile and career plans of recently recruited international nurses.

Keywords: Workforce, Migrant Workers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation