Emma Perry, RMN with 20 years' experience and fortunate to have worked with all ages (CAMHS, 0-25, adult and older adult) . Previously the Divisional Director of Nursing for the Adult Mental Health Division at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Currently seconded as Mental Health Nursing Advisor for International Recruitment with National NHSE team.
Emma’s role is to work in partnership with IR National, Regional and Trust leads on MH and LD IR. Provide subject matter expertise to support innovation, expansion and sustainability for the National MH and LD International Recruitment programme to either start or expand.
EMMA PERRY
Mental Health Nursing Advisor for International Recruitment with National NHSE team.
Background to LD and MH Nursing International Recruitment (IR) and link to AEPLDN (also see slides presented to 5th LD Nursing symposium)
Why? : As part of the National programme of work to recruit 50,000 nurses by April 2024 and aligned to the All England Plan for Learning Disability Nursing (A7)
“We will design and deliver a programme of international recruitment to encourage overseas nurses to pursue a new career in Learning Disability Nursing”.
What? : 48 Mental Health Trusts are recruiting international nurses. Since October 2020 Mental Health Trusts have seen a continued increase in international nurse recruitment arrivals; around 2,000 nurses to date. Around half of the arrivals have been adult general nurses; some of whom will be working in mental health settings others in acute settings (for combined Mental Health Trusts).
How? : In 2021/21 and 2022/23 just under £16K has been given to Mental Health Trusts to support the appointment, arrivals, onboarding, training and pastoral care of international nurses. The money also funded specific innovation projects to accelerate and address recruitment barriers. In July 2022 a community of practice and steering group was formed. This brings together key stakeholders and builds on the recommendations from a national roundtable in April 2022 discussing how to internationally recruit Learning Disability nurses.
The community of practice and steering group aims to:
1) promote UK LD nursing as career option to international nursing colleagues
2) support the identification of international LD nurses
3) facilitate timely UK arrivals of international nurses and registration as a LDN on the UK NMC register
4) promote best practice enabling the international nurses transition and integration (both professionally and pastorally) to UK LD nursing practice
5) ensure we align with the All England Plan for LD Nursing to strengthen our UK LD nursing workforce and improve quality of care for all that receive our services
Get involved : Whether you are a Trust looking to recruit international Learning Disability nurses or an international or domestic nurse interested in sharing your experiences and knowledge in how we can enhance the transition and integration of our international Learning Disability nursing colleagues to our UK nursing teams please email england.nursingworkforce@nhs.net.
Learning Disability and Mental Health International Nurse Recruitment key resources and links
To improve and standardise the experience of recruits coming to the UK (including a clear pastoral offer) guidance has been produced for Trusts International Recruitment Toolkit | NHS Employers a retention toolkit has also recently been published International Retention Toolkit | NHS Employers
The Applying for health and social care jobs in the UK from abroad has now been published
Department of Health and Social Care have updated the Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel. This aligns the Code red list with the recently updated WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023.
NHS Employers have now published the repayment clause guidance https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/repayment-clauses-guidance-0
NMC have further UK registration information for international nurses and midwives as a nurse or midwife if you trained outside the UK - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk)
Resources and support for international nurses to progress in their careers are International nurses. Your career. Our commitment. | Health Careers
International Recruitment Resources can be found on Future NHS. You can self register using your nhs email. If you have any issues joining please contact england.nursingworkforce@nhs.net
Specific MH and LD IR resources are here Mental Health & Learning Disability - International Recruitment - FutureNHS Collaboration Platform
We have a Trust case study outlining their learnings from finding suitable international nurse candidates to work in Learning Disability settings CPFT Identifying potential Learning Disability International Nurses from applications - International Recruitment - FutureNHS Collaboration Platform
National Learning Disability Forum Home - Learning Disability Nursing — Learning Disability Nurses' Forum
The International Recruitment Learning Disability Resource pack International Recruitment of Learning Disability Nurses (office.com) brings together marketing materials to support the attraction of candidates and includes a list of transferable skills to support shortlisting.
National NHSE Mental Health Nursing webpage https://www.england.nhs.uk/nursingmidwifery/delivering-the-nhs-ltp/mental-health-nursing/
National Professional Nurse Advocate Programme NHS England » Professional nurse advocate
National Preceptorship Framework NHS England » National preceptorship framework for nursing
June 2023 update
The IR LD Resource pack has been updated International Recruitment of Learning Disability Nurses (office.com). Most recent updates include further resource links for international nurses around their rights and support when applying for UK nursing roles and employers regarding the updated code of practice and International retention toolkit. There is also information on international nurse career progression and support and the national preceptorship framework.
This summer we are looking forward to welcoming the arrival of our first international nurses who will be joining the UK NMC Learning Disability Nurse register; they will be working within London region Trusts.
Get involved :
Our National Community of Practice and Steering Group for International Learning Disability Nurse Recruitment continues to support shared learning and collaboration if you or your colleagues wish to join this then please email england.nursingworkforce@nhs.net
Do you have international nurses expected to arrive/have been working in Learning Disability services for less than 12 months? If the answer is yes then please contact dean.gimblett@nhs.net at Capital Nurse so along with their peers they can participate in and receive support as part of the nationally funded pilot Learning Disability OSCE and pastoral programme. Please note : international nursing colleagues can be part of the pastoral programme only if they have already joined/intend to join a nursing specialty field of registration other than Learning Disability Nurse.