Nurses recruited overseas face 'exploitation'

Nurses recruited from overseas are facing racism and exploitation whilst working in the UK, according to a new report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The RCN found that many nurses are "charged extortionate and illegal fees" to come and work in the UK with some describing their employment as "slavery".

The report, 'We need respect - experiences of internationally recruited nurses in the UK', highlights the experiences and problems facing internationally recruited nurses (IRNs) working in both the NHS and independent sector care homes.

Nurses in the study reported frequent experience of discrimination and in some cases this appeared as "crude racism", whilst others said they were excluded by their UK colleagues and were often singled out for "negative attention".

Although all the nurses interviewed were fully qualified in their own countries with an average of 14 years nursing experience, many were required to undergo an adaptation programme to work in the UK as a nurse. IRNs described situations where they paid recruiters large amounts of money, up to several thousands pounds, to secure adaptation in the belief that it would lead to them gaining registration as a nurse. The reality was often very different, with many ending up working as low-paid carers in independent sector care homes denied the chance to complete an adaptation programme and take up jobs as nurses. Many believed that they were just being used as cheap labour, with employers happy to delay the registration process so they could keep them on a lower rate of pay, according to the research.

General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Dr Beverly Malone, said: "Over the last few years, the RCN has represented hundreds of internationally recruited nurses who have faced exploitation and discrimination - but we know this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many more are too afraid to take action against their recruiters or employers."

To improve the situation for IRNs, the RCN believes that there should be: action to prevent the exploitation of IRNs, including extending the Department of Health’s Code of practice to cover independent sector employers; and a comprehensive strategy to tackle racism in the NHS and care homes and at an institutional level within the health services.

(GMcG)