NHS launches major recruitment drive in Hong Kong

It is understood more than 200 nurses have been signed up in an initial recruitment, and a subsequent drive is due to be launched in coming weeks.

From February this year, the government gave new rights to around 5.4m ‘British national overseas’ passport holders in Hong Kong, as well as their dependants, to be able to settle and work in the UK. The government expects around 300,000 residents to come to the UK in the first five years of the scheme.*

These residents previously had special status, but were only entitled to visa-free access to the UK for six months.

In a recent email seen by HSJ, Gail Marzetti, head of international workforce at the Department of Health and Social Care, wrote: “We have been recruiting from Hong Kong through NHS Professionals since late last year.

“The first campaign has attracted 200 nurses, some of whom have British Nationals (Overseas) visas and others will come on the health and care visa. Yeovil Hospital are also due to start recruiting from there.”

She said UK officials in Hong Kong had asked DHSC not to link the recruitment campaigns to the BNO visas, but said they could be branded as “NHS”.

A report from the House of Commons library last year suggested there were around 125 staff working in the NHS who reported Hong Kongese nationality.

The NHS is under pressure to significantly increase international recruitment amid concerns the pandemic has derailed progress on the government’s target to hire an additional 50,000 nurses by 2024.

In a statement on its website, NHS Employers said: “[The visa] is unique to people from Hong Kong and now offers those with BN(O) status and their eligible family members an opportunity to come to the UK to live, study and work.

“With approximately 350,000 nationals eligible for this visa, this is a viable route in addition to the health and care skilled worker visa for healthcare professionals wishing to come to the UK to join the NHS.”

Rebecca Smith, the body’s managing director, added: “NHS Employers is working to provide guidance to employers on the workforce supply pipeline from Hong Kong, including improving awareness of the British National (Overseas) visa.”

Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust is a lead international recruiter for 16 other NHS trusts, having previously led campaigns in Dubai and the Philippines.

A trust spokeswoman said: “In the last 12 months, Yeovil Hospital has recruited 600 nurses from overseas to fill positions at 16 trusts across the UK.”

“The flexible recruitment initiative means we are able to support nurses who want to settle in the UK in long-term employment with their families, as well as those wishing to work in the UK on a three-year plan to develop their skills before returning to their home country.”

The DHSC did not want to comment further.

* Corrected at 14:17 on March 25th to reflect 300,000 Hong Kong residents are estimated to arrive in the first five years of the scheme, with around 5.4 million residents being eligible overall.