Nearly 9,000 foreign nurses are departing the UK annually to pursue employment opportunities abroad.
This exodus, particularly of nurses originating from outside the EU, has raised concerns that Britain is increasingly becoming a mere “staging post” rather than a permanent career destination for healthcare professionals.
The surge in nurses leaving the National Health Service (NHS) for greener pastures elsewhere underscores the existing challenges of understaffing within the healthcare system.
According to research from the Health Foundation, the number of UK-registered nurses relocating to other countries has doubled within a year, reaching a record high of 12,400 in 2022-23. This figure has quadrupled since the pre-pandemic era.
Where are they going?
Of those departing, a significant majority—amounting to 8,680 nurses last year—originated from countries beyond the UK or EU, often hailing from nations such as India or the Philippines. Many of these nurses had contributed their expertise to the British healthcare system for up to three years before seeking opportunities elsewhere.
The primary destinations for departing nurses include the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, where remuneration packages often eclipse those offered in the UK, sometimes by nearly double.
Experts have sounded the alarm over these developments, emphasising the detrimental impact on an NHS already grappling with approximately 40,000 nursing vacancies. Dame Anne Marie Rafferty, a professor of nursing studies at King’s College London, remarked that the UK risks losing its appeal as a destination for overseas nurses due to perceptions of inferior pay and conditions compared to other countries.
The Health Foundation’s report revealed a tenfold increase in applications for certificates of current professional status (CCPS) necessary for nurses to work in the US, indicating a significant shift in preferences among healthcare professionals.
What has pay got to do with it?
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) attributes the growing exodus of nurses to the erosion in pay that the nursing profession has endured since 2010. Prof Pat Cullen, the RCN’s chief executive and general secretary, expressed deep concern over the departure of international colleagues, stressing the debilitating impact of workforce shortages on patient care.
Elaine Kelly, assistant director at the Health Foundation’s research center, highlighted the financial strain imposed on the NHS by the departure of foreign recruits, estimating a cost of approximately £10,000 to replace each nurse.
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care disputed the Health Foundation’s figures, citing data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council indicating a lower rate of nurse departures. However, concerns persist regarding the long-term implications of the ongoing brain drain on the UK healthcare system.
As the UK faces a critical juncture in its healthcare workforce, stakeholders urge comprehensive measures to enhance the attractiveness of the NHS as an employer, ensuring the retention of both domestic and international nursing talent.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
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