Following the nation's choice to exit the EU, Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has been dealing with severe staff shortages. Britain has resorted to hiring a record number of foreign nurses to solve this urgent issue, with a notable portion coming from "red-list" nations. 

It all started as Brexit impacted Britain in different sectors of life. The WHO has expressed its concern about the adverse effects of wealthy nations actively hiring healthcare staff from less developed countries, which has led to alarm over this recruitment tactic.

Concerns Raised over Recruitment from Red-List Countries

Global health organisations are concerned about the hiring of foreign nurses from red-list nations to fill nursing shortages in Britain. Although the nursing workforce in Britain is largely derived from nations like India and the Philippines, hirings from "red-list" nations like Nigeria have received particular attention.

WHO cautions that this practice of employing people from less developed countries depletes their healthcare systems and jeopardises their ability to deliver vital healthcare services.

As per the guidelines, NHS firms are required to engage with accredited agencies and avoid hiring people from such nations. However, individuals can still apply for jobs independently. This begs the question of how actively healthcare personnel from "red-list" nations are sought after or if hiring decisions are made on an individual basis.

The dependence on international recruitment continues to be a temporary fix as Britain works to fulfil its goal of 50,000 more nurses in the NHS. However, there is still disagreement on this strategy's long-term viability and ethical ramifications. 

A Quick Solution to the Current Scenario

The government promised to hire 50,000 more nurses for the NHS in England by the following year in 2019. Steve Barclay, the minister of health, reaffirmed that the government is on course to meet this objective. However, according to the Health Foundation, there are now 43,000 nursing positions open in NHS England.

Between March 2018 and March 2023, the number of healthcare workers from the European Economic Area decreased by 20%, according to data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). With fewer EU employees, local shortages, and a scarcity of UK nurses enrolled in training, bringing in non-EU nurses has become crucial to achieving the goal.

The difficulties the NHS is facing show how urgent it is to address workforce shortages and guarantee the delivery of high-quality healthcare services. Meeting the rising demand and preserving the effectiveness of the British healthcare system will mostly depend on efforts to hire nurses from both EU and non-EU nations.

Conclusion

The World Health Organisation has expressed worries about Britain's reliance on foreign labour, notably from "red-list" nations, to address nursing shortages. Strategic planning is necessary to address the ongoing difficulty of balancing the WHO's concerns with the requirement for sufficient staffing in the British healthcare system.

FAQS

Why does Britain use foreign workers to address nurse shortages?

Due to a combination of high demand, staffing issues, and a drop in EU personnel as a result of Brexit, Britain is experiencing a nurse shortage. In order to fill the vacancies, the nation has turned to hiring foreign nurses.

Will Britain in the near future continue to rely heavily on foreign labour?

Yes, large levels of overseas hiring will be required in the near future to reach the goal and alleviate the nursing shortages, according to experts.