The UK has become a “springboard” for internationally recruited nurses to gain experience and then move to other high-income countries with better pay, conditions and career opportunities, members of Unison have warned. Gamu Nyasoro, a nurse belonging to Unison’s Nursing and Midwifery Occupation Group, put forward a motion on “improving conditions for internationally recruited nurses and midwives” in the UK. She warned that many overseas nurses were “leaving the UK to work elsewhere”, describing the UK as a mere “stepping stone” to moving to other high-income countries like the US, Canada and Australia. “We are losing health workers at an unprecedented rate.”Ms Nyasoro called for a “rethink” on retention strategies to keep skills overseas nurses and midwives. Among the changes members wanted to see was greater investment and policies to support the career progression of overseas nurses and midwives.
