Given the scale of NHS demand, many NHS Trusts have been recruiting internationally for many years. However the picture is not uniform. According to Nuffield (2021), 

  

“While international recruits account for a large proportion of the nursing workforce, they are not evenly distributed across Trusts in England. Overseas staff account for over a half of nurses in a few NHS organisations and for over a third in 32 Trusts. However, in some organisations the number is close to zero. Of course, there are many reasons why this variation may occur, including specialty, location, and the supply of UK nurses locally.” 

  

Less research has been done into international nurse recruitment for the private sector but we know that smaller organisations often feel less able to justify the upfront costs of international recruitment, even though the evidence suggests a strong return on investment. Smaller organisations are usually less able to benefit from the economies of scale involved in mass international recruitment and have less resources to tap into. That being said, we are seeing an increasing number of Care Home Networks who are beginning to share international recruitment expertise and build some shared ways of working. 

  

Unfortunately, private organisations often have to work harder to attract international talent. Whereas the NHS is an international name, famous for its career progression and training opportunities, private organisations often (arguably unfairly) have a reputation for being less financially secure and offering minimal opportunities to international joiners. Therefore when marketing international nursing roles for the private sector, it is important to highlight the benefits of working for such organisations – whether that be the positive working environment and culture, financial perks or flexibility. 

  

Reflective of the public/private preference, private organisations often must either offer higher salaries or reduce their experience requirements in order to attract the same pipeline as the NHS. 

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