Press Release: June 9, 2016

Dr Sarah Wollaston, MP for Totnes, recently switched from ‘Leave’ to ‘Remain’, claiming the NHS will be safer if Britain stays in the EU. Yet she seems to have overlooked—or simply doesn’t care about—the massive reduction in local nurse recruitment.

Massive Reduction in Local Nurse Recruitment

Stephen Morris, General Secretary of the Workers of England Union, stated:

“The NHS doesn’t need to rely on EU workers to function; it can very easily survive by recruiting the local people who have actually applied to be nurses.”

Reported Figures

Percentage of NHS Trusts Recruiting Abroad

In 2009–2010, 11% of NHS Trusts recruited abroad; by 2014–2015, that figure had climbed to 29%. Some studies now report as many as 74% of Trusts in England and Wales recruiting internationally.

Home-Grown Nursing Applicants Denied Training

An RCN survey found that in 2012 there were 54,000 home-grown applicants competing for just 20,092 nurse training places. This means many local candidates were turned away in favour of overseas-trained nurses. A further 12% cut in nurse training places that year led to fewer qualified nurses entering the workforce in 2014/15.

Over the next four years, UK nurse training places fell by as many as 8,000, with some reports claiming up to 80,000 aspiring students were left unable to train. Meanwhile, around 7,500 nurses from Spain, Romania and Italy registered in the UK last year—but there is real concern many will return home.

Crucially, half of all overseas nurses come from non-EU countries such as the Philippines, so leaving the EU would not halt overseas recruitment. Instead, Brexit could force NHS Trusts to demonstrate genuine attempts to recruit locally before looking abroad—prompting proper investment in training.

Workforce Planning and Costs

Both the RCN and the BMA blame poor workforce planning for nursing and doctor shortages (9% of NHS positions remain unfilled). Although it costs approximately £74,000 to train a home-grown nurse, Trusts often choose cheaper short-term overseas hires rather than invest in local talent.

Use of Agency Nurses

To plug gaps, many Trusts have resorted to expensive agency nurses. Total revenue at the UK’s ten biggest medical recruitment firms rose by almost 40% over three years, with combined takings of £7.7 billion since 2009.

Cost of Overseas Recruiting Trips

Some Trusts are splashing out on international recruitment trips for HR staff:

• Aintree University Hospital Foundation Trust spent £46,000 on a Madrid trip to recruit 20 nurses.
• United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spent £100,000 on a trip to Athens to recruit 39 Greek nurses.

Conclusion

Leaving the EU would compel the government and NHS Trusts to address nurse shortages by investing in local training schemes rather than relying on overseas recruitment. It’s time to give young UK applicants the opportunities they deserve.

Read our latest press release for more on how the Workers of England Union is campaigning for a fully staffed, locally trained NHS workforce.