Nursing federation slams UK recruitment from poorer nations

The Worldwide Council of Nurses stated rich international locations recruiting nursing workers from among the world’s most fragile well being programs was extraordinarily laborious to justify and maybe must be stopped solely.

The ICN stated seven or eight rich international locations — notably Britain, america and Canada — have been driving round 80 % of worldwide nurse migration, to attempt to handle their home shortages.

“We’re very involved by among the examples,” ICN chief govt Howard Catton instructed a press convention organised by the UN correspondents affiliation in Geneva.

He cited talks between Britain and Ghana whereby London can pay Accra £1,000 ($1,240) per nurse recruited.

“That, by no means, goes wherever close to recognising the true worth of the coaching prices of that nurse, or the loss to the Ghanaian well being system,” he stated.

When including in expertise within the area, “I’d anticipate to see £50,000 as a worth to compensate for that have no less than — if no more. £1,000 is woefully quick.”

The ICN stated worldwide recruitment targeted largely on skilled, specialised nurses, somewhat than the “fable” that solely newly-qualified nurses have been being focused.

“That creates a critical deficit in experience in international locations that can’t afford to lose their extra skilled nurses. That has actually been a critical concern,” stated ICN president Pamela Cipriano.

“If you take these nurses out of the medical setting, you actually have a mind drain.”

She stated international locations needed to undertake a method of changing into self-sufficient in producing nurses.

“We’re interesting to the ethics of nations that well being is a world concern,” she stated.

“We don’t need to see some international locations thrive and others damage.”

Catton additionally highlighted Britain’s settlement with the Nepalese authorities on nurse recruitment, noting that the ratio of nurses to the British inhabitants is round 80 to 10,000, whereas in Nepal it’s nearer 20.

“That’s already taking nurses from a really low base, the place entry to healthcare is restricted,” he stated.

“That type of recruitment can imply {that a} service merely isn’t offered.”

“For those who’re a authorities who’s counting on worldwide recruitment as a fast repair to shortages since you haven’t invested sufficient, be very, very cautious about that,” Catton stated.

“For in all probability the 45 or 50 most susceptible international locations around the globe,” he stated, “there’s a very robust case that… there shouldn’t be any recruitment.”

Based in 1899, the Geneva-based ICN is a federation of greater than 130 nationwide nursing associations representing 28 million nurses worldwide.

AFP