Thousands of nurses recruited from overseas to fill NHS 'shortage'

  • Health
Experts are warning of a "serious" shortage in UK-based nurses Credit: PA

Eighty per cent of all nurses hired by NHS hospitals in the past 12 months were recruited from overseas, as the health system struggles with a "serious" shortage of UK-based workers, new figures reveal.

During that time, three-quarters of all 140 acute trusts in England filled their shortfall in staff numbers with a total of 5,778 foreign staff, according to an investigation by the Health Service Journal.

Experts have now warned that overseas recruitment is little more than a "Band Aid" on staffing numbers.

Prof Jane Ball, a nursing workforce expert and Southampton University principal research fellow, said budget cuts and other pressures meant health bosses were not properly addressing the problem.

King's College Hospital in south London recruited the highest number of any trust Credit: PA

King's College Hospital in south London recruited the highest number of any trust, bringing in a total of 276, while 14 trusts each hired more than 100 overseas nurses.

The vast majority of the workers - more than 3,700 - came from Spain, Portugal and the Philippines.

The vast majority of the workers - more than 3,700 - came from Spain, Portugal and the Philippines. Credit: PA

Unison's head of health, Christina McAnea, said while the increase in nursing posts was welcome, trusts should focus more on long-term workforce planning.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health added: