On 1 August 2019, The Evening Express of Aberdeen, Scotland reported that the agency staff spend of NHS Grampian has increased by nearly £4 Million. This is hardly news for Scotland...
As The Nursing Times also recently reported a 10% spike in agency bills for nurses this year—and figures also show an increase in nursing vacancies. In 2017, 4,300 nurses alone quit the NHS workforce in Scotland. Vacancies are continuing to increase, and Scotland is almost at a breaking point in its struggle to deliver high quality care while being understaffed.
It’s not just the NHS that’s taking the brunt of the nursing crisis. Private care homes catering to elderly care are also heavily affected. In a survey conducted by Scottish Care, the representative body for independent care services in Scotland, nearly 20% of nursing posts (in the 121 care homes surveyed) were vacant (this was published by Nursing Standard on December 2018). Also found was an over-reliance on agency staff, often costing £300 - £1200 for an overnight shift. Unfortunately, the worst has already happened for some care homes: Levenhall Care Home (owned by Renaissance Care) in East Lothian announced their closure on 7 February 2018 due to rising costs and nurse shortage issues. They are not alone. Every day, news of care home closures in Scotland make its way to the papers and petitions and calls for government action continue to do so little. Throughout all this tragedy, it is the residents that are affected the most as they now have to be relocated while in such vulnerable conditions.
"Today’s figures show the magnitude of the staffing shortage in nursing teams across Scotland’s NHS. But it’s not just our NHS hospital and community teams which are stretched to breaking point, those working in care homes, are under the same pressure." Theresa Fyffe, Director of the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland
While the crisis in Scotland seems to have no end in sight, one option to reduce agency spend rises above the rest: hiring international nurses. While the Scottish government has said in 2018 that they will seek to increase efforts to recruit overseas nursing staff, deployment of these nurses can take up to 6-8 months. This is valuable time where care homes and hospitals continue to hemorrhage money.
Here at IANS, our solution is simple: to provide international nurses that can work on your floor in 4-6 weeks. Using our tried and tested process, we work on a strict timeline that ensures your nurses can be in the UK 4-6 weeks after you’ve successfully interviewed them and sent them their offer letter. Our “all-in-one” package of recruitment, immigration, and training ensures that there is no middleman, the process is swift, and the nurses are eligible and well-qualified. We have a strong network of nurses in Africa and Asia that are willing to fly to the UK as soon as possible.
You will be amazed by the success and potential that you can obtain just by attending the event! Just ask Basu Lamicchane, General Manager of Victoria Care. Two weeks after attending the event in London on 18 July 2019, his company's sponsor license application has been submitted, nurse candidates have been interviewed, and 2 nursing vacancies have been filled! IANS helped Victoria Care save at least £50,000 a year on agency spend. Watch the video below, and see what he has to say;
"IANS has changed my perception on overseas recruitment. My concerns were all answered in the Care Providers Seminar. IANS gave us the confindence and trust that they know everything about recruitment"
- Basu Lamicchane
Sources:
https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/scotland-ramps-up-efforts-to-recruit-nurses-from-overseas-20-06-2018/
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/nhs-grampian-agency-staff-spending-rises-nearly-4-million/
https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/agency-bill-spikes-10-in-scotland-as-nurse-posts-go-unfilled-05-06-2019/
http://www.scottishcare.org/scottish-care-news/sector-news/care-homes-in-crisis-scottish-care-press-statement/
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1013106/scotland-news-nurses-nursing-NHS-SNP
https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/scots-nhs-staffing-crisis-as-thousands-of-nurses-quit-1-4749723
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42653542
http://www.scottishcare.org/scottish-care-news/care-home-sector-warns-of-intolerable-nursing-shortages-with-31-per-cent-of-posts-vacant/
https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/newsroom/news/survey-highlights-nurse-recruitment-crisis-scotlands-care-homes-143161
https://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/call-for-scottish-gov-to-save-care-homes
https://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/scotland-facing-care-home-crisis
Image from Royal College of Nursing in Scotland, from their campaign
for safe staffing levels for nurses: https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/newsroom/news/rcn-scotland-launches-safe-staffing-campaign-latest-vacancy-figures-reveal-crisis-138676
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