The Nursing and Midwives Council has released figures showing a 96% drop in the number of EU nurses joining its register since a week after last year’s referendum vote in favour of Brexit.
In July 2016 some 1,304 EU nurses went on the UK register. The following September saw 1,000 fewer sign up and in April this year just 46 registered.
The NMC blames the drop on the UK’s decision to leave the EU as well as new language requirements. It also says it has “anecdotal” evidence that health organisations are looking to recruit from outside the EU, perhaps because of uncertainty about freedom of movement from the EU in the foreseeable future.
The Council warned that data on staff leaving the register in the last six months should be treated with caution because some registrations could have simply lapsed and may be renewed. But there have still been significant departures over the past year ranging from 224 in September to 406 in April. There has been an average of 250-300 nurses leaving the register each month since July 2016.
The fall in new EU nurse registrations followed a climb since 2010, and the 2016-17 level of new registrations appears to be back to 2013 levels.
No Support for EU doctors
As for other health staff. a British Medical Association survey suggests that more than two in five EU-qualified NHS doctors are considering leaving the UK as a result of Brexit. “When asked whether they were considering leaving the UK as a result of last year’s referendum result, 42 per cent of those surveyed conceded that they were, whilst 23 per cent said they were unsure,” it said.”On a scale of 1 to 10 European doctors stated they feel significantly less committed to working in the UK in light of the EU referendum result. From an average of nine out of 10, commitment dropped to six out of 10.”
The BMA report featured Dr Tatjana Street, who moved to the UK from Germany in 1996 and worked 120 hours a week as a junior doctor. She moved to Germany on a sabbatical before the referendum and is now uncertain about returning.
“The referendum has certainly made me think about whether I come back or not,” she said. “I love the NHS. Working in it is a great privilege as it feels like you’re contributing towards a greater good and making people’s lives better. I always loved Britain because the people were open-minded and tolerant of each other and there’s a real mix of skills and cultures. Now it seems as though it is becoming a more inward-looking society.
There has not been any support for EU or international doctors since the referendum and no recognition of what we have done for the health of the nation.”
by Stewart Vickers
The post Brexit: NHS Records Huge Drop in New EU Nurses appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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