NHS forced to look abroad (From Warrington Guardian)

NHS forced to look abroad

NEW staff from India and Dubai have been recruited to Halton and Warrington Hospitals - to some murmurs of discontent from the executive board.

A joint mission by several NHS trusts recruited 12 staff and two of these are joining North Cheshire Hospitals Trust.

Vice chairman John Beecham told a board meeting last Thursday: "Deep down I feel it's not a good thing to be taking people out of a developing country.

"I feel in the short term it's a good thing, but it's not something we should be doing in the long term, the training situation needs to be addressed nationally."

Non-executive director Maureen Banner said it was 'unethical', but trust chairman Ian Dalton said the recruitment was done according to Department of Health guidelines.

The trust has also recently recruited a number of Phillipino nurses.

There is currently a national shortage of physiotherapists.

Director of nursing Kath Holbourne said there are actually three times as many applicants for physiotherapy training places as there are places.

She said the problem was many of them left the NHS for well-paid agency work after being trained.

The meeting heard the new recruits were tested on their theoretical knowledge and decision-making skills and will have a six month settling in period.