Why is there a shortage of nurses in the UK?
The NHS is facing a deepening staffing crisis, with the number of unfilled posts across health services in England rising to 110,192, official figures show. The shortages include 39,652 nurses and 8,158 doctors, according to the latest quarterly data for health service vacancies published by NHS Digital.
After nearly 2 years out of the Single Market and Customs Union, Brexit is still fuelling uncertainty in many aspects of health and social care. The situation in social care is the most urgent, where new immigration rules effectively halt immigration from the EEA. There does not appear to be a clear agenda to bring any benefits to health in the UK through trade agreements. There is a shortage of 39,652 nurses and the number is increasing day by day.
OSCE
The OSCE is based on UK pre-registration standards. Candidates are required to act out scenarios that nurses or midwives are likely to encounter when assessing, planning, delivering and evaluating care. An individual entering the UK to take a nursing role has up to three months (12 weeks) from the employment start date noted on the certificate of sponsorship to sit their first attempt at an OSCE exam. During this period they can be legally employed as a pre-registration candidate. Applicants must complete the OSCE in the UK at an approved test centre.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a website hub which contains all the information candidates, recruiters and employers prepare for the new ToC. The hub includes:
• candidate handbooks
• test specifications
• blueprints
• practice tests for the new CBTs
• an OSCE prep resource pack.
You can find more information following link NMC
OSCE PREPARATION PROGRAMME
Support materials such as mock exams and the assessment criteria are available to candidates through each of the test centres. In the run-up to the examination, candidates must be given support and the opportunity to practice and prepare.
Supervised practice
When designing your OSCE preparation programme, consider if you will include a period of supervised practice in a clinical area during the training period. There are generally two different approaches adopted by organisations:
1. Abootcamp-styleapproach,whichseesthecandidatespreparingfortheOSCE examination intensively over a shorter period with no clinical practice.
2. Alongerpreparationprogramme,which sees candidates work clinically during the training period, with regular release for OSCE preparation.
There is no evidence to suggest one approach is more successful than the other.
International nursing associations
Nurses arriving to the UK from across the globe are faced with the challenge of adapting to working in the NHS and adjusting to a new culture. NHS England and Improvement have been working with International Nursing associations that provide support to overseas nurses.
Association Isabel Zendal: Association of Spanish Nurses and Health Workers working in the UK
C.I.C.Association of Zambian Nurses, UK
Association of South African Nurses, UK (ASANUK)
Association of South Asian Midwives (ASAM)
British Indian Nurses Association (BINA)
British Sikh Nurses
Cameroon Nurses Association UK (CAN UK)
Caribbean Nurses& Midwives Association UK (CNMA UK)
Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation (CNMF)
Filipino Nurses Association United Kingdom (FNA)
Gambia Healthcare Matters UK (GHM UK)
Hong Kong Nursing Association UK (HKNAUK)
Italian Nurses and Midwives Association – UK
Kenyan Nurses And Midwives Association UK (KENMA-UK)
Malawian-UK Nurses Association for Advancement (MUNAA)
Mauritian Nurses & Health Care Professionals UK
Nepalese Nursing Association UK (NNAUK)
Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK (NNCAUK)
Nurses Association of Jamaica UK (NAJ UK)
Philippine Nurses Association of United Kingdom (PNAUK)
Society of African Caribbean Midwives (SoAC Midwives)
Turkish Nurses Midwives Association is not available yet. Let us know if you are willing to start the association.
Uganda Nurses Midwives Association (UNMA-UK)
Union of UK Malayalee Associations (UUKMA) Nurses Forum
Zimbabwean Midwives And Nurses Association (ZIMNA)
Your job must be in one of the following occupation codes to qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa
- 1181: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1242: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2112: biological scientists and biochemists
- 2113: physical scientists
- 2211: medical practitioners
- 2212: psychologists
- 2213: pharmacists
- 2214: ophthalmic opticians
- 2215: dental practitioners
- 2217: medical radiographers
- 2218: podiatrists
- 2219: health professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as audiologists and occupational health advisers
- 2221: physiotherapists
- 2222: occupational therapists
- 2223: speech and language therapists
- 2229: therapy professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as osteopaths and psychotherapists
- 2231: nurses
- 2232: midwives
- 2442: social workers
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3213: paramedics
- 3216: dispensing opticians
- 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
- 3218: medical and dental technicians
- 3219: health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- 6141: nursing auxiliaries and assistants
- 6143: dental nurses
- 6145: care workers and home carers
- 6146: senior care workers
- Approved UK health and care sector employers
- You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. Approved employers are also known as sponsors because they sponsor you to come to or stay in the UK.
- You must have a job offer from: the NHS
- an organization providing medical services to the NHS
- an organization providing adult social care
- Salary requirements
- Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. How you find the going rate depends on your job. CLICK HERE FOR National pay scales for eligible healthcare occupation codes. (Updated 11 April 2022)
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pay-scales-for-eligible-healthcare-jobs/national-pay-scales-for-eligible-healthcare-occupation-codes
- You’ll need to meet different salary requirements for this visa if your job is in one of the following occupation codes:
- 1181: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1242: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2112: biological scientists and biochemists
- 2113: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3216: dispensing opticians
- 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
- 6145: care workers and home carers
- 6146: senior care workers