At this year’s Congress we launched an extremely important area of work to support migrant care workers, something that is close to my heart. This week, that work took an important step.
Some of you may have seen the articles in the Guardian, and the interviews on Channel 4 about the exploitation of migrant care workers. If you haven’t already, I recommend that you watch the Channel 4 feature, including interviews with two of our members and Dr Nicola Ashby, RCN Deputy Chief Nurse at the RCN. It’s an upsetting but important watch. Analysis of calls to our member advice line showed a six-fold increase in the number of overseas care workers being exploited by rogue employers in just 3 years. Rogue employers appear to be forcing migrant care workers to pay thousands of pounds just to leave jobs and threatening them with deportation.
It’s not acceptable - those who come to the UK to care for the vulnerable deserve so much better than this exploitation. Immigrant nursing staff are not just filling vacancies; they are enriching our health care system in countless ways. They bring with them a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to patient care, and a diversity of perspectives that enhance the quality of care for all.
My parents were immigrants, hailing from the beautiful island of Mauritius. Like many immigrant families, they came to the UK seeking opportunities and brought with them not only their dreams and aspirations but also a rich cultural heritage. This personal history has profoundly shaped my understanding of the value immigrants bring to our society, particularly our health care system.
I am proud that the RCN is calling on the UK government to launch an urgent investigation. We raised this issue in our election manifesto and the current home secretary promised an investigation during the general election campaign. We need action to protect our migrant care workers and raise standards in the sector.
This is even more important in the context of the recent racist attacks that spread across the country. I was horrified by these events, and I want to encourage you all to read our guidance on prioritising personal safety and updated guidance on refusal to treat that we issued after the Health Secretary’s comments.
On the subject of the Health Secretary, the RCN has contributed to an investigation commissioned by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and led by Lord Darzi, which aims to set out the state of the NHS in England. This review will be used to inform a long-term NHS plan, and we have set out concerns including nurse-to-patient ratios, student nursing numbers, mental health support and corridor care. A report is due in September 2024.
I would also like to remind you of a few opportunities to use your voice and assert your influence. For those of you who haven’t voted in our consultation on the recently announced NHS pay award in England – this is an opportunity that cannot be wasted. This is your consultation and without your vote, we don’t know whether you think a 5.5% pay increase is enough of a start towards fair nursing pay.
This isn’t just about us finding out what you think – this is you telling the new government your view and what they must do next for our profession. However you vote, the higher the turnout in this consultation, the better our chances of getting the government to listen and provide fair pay for nursing.
In Scotland, we’ll shortly be consulting members on the NHS pay offer for 2024/25 from the Scottish government. This is a pay offer, not a pay award as it is in England, so it will be up to you, our members, to decide whether this offer meets your expectations. And so, I would encourage you to review the detail of the offer and use your vote when the consultation opens on Tuesday 27 August.
Finally, I’d also like to remind members that there is an opportunity to nominate yourself as a candidate for RCN Council, President and Deputy President in upcoming RCN elections. More information is available on our website – please do find out more and help shape our great profession for our members and those we care for.
Some of you may have seen the articles in the Guardian, and the interviews on Channel 4 about the exploitation of migrant care workers. If you haven’t already, I recommend that you watch the Channel 4 feature, including interviews with two of our members and Dr Nicola Ashby, RCN Deputy Chief Nurse at the RCN. It’s an upsetting but important watch. Analysis of calls to our member advice line showed a six-fold increase in the number of overseas care workers being exploited by rogue employers in just 3 years. Rogue employers appear to be forcing migrant care workers to pay thousands of pounds just to leave jobs and threatening them with deportation.
It’s not acceptable - those who come to the UK to care for the vulnerable deserve so much better than this exploitation. Immigrant nursing staff are not just filling vacancies; they are enriching our health care system in countless ways. They bring with them a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to patient care, and a diversity of perspectives that enhance the quality of care for all.
My parents were immigrants, hailing from the beautiful island of Mauritius. Like many immigrant families, they came to the UK seeking opportunities and brought with them not only their dreams and aspirations but also a rich cultural heritage. This personal history has profoundly shaped my understanding of the value immigrants bring to our society, particularly our health care system.
I am proud that the RCN is calling on the UK government to launch an urgent investigation. We raised this issue in our election manifesto and the current home secretary promised an investigation during the general election campaign. We need action to protect our migrant care workers and raise standards in the sector.
This is even more important in the context of the recent racist attacks that spread across the country. I was horrified by these events, and I want to encourage you all to read our guidance on prioritising personal safety and updated guidance on refusal to treat that we issued after the Health Secretary’s comments.
On the subject of the Health Secretary, the RCN has contributed to an investigation commissioned by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and led by Lord Darzi, which aims to set out the state of the NHS in England. This review will be used to inform a long-term NHS plan, and we have set out concerns including nurse-to-patient ratios, student nursing numbers, mental health support and corridor care. A report is due in September 2024.
I would also like to remind you of a few opportunities to use your voice and assert your influence. For those of you who haven’t voted in our consultation on the recently announced NHS pay award in England – this is an opportunity that cannot be wasted. This is your consultation and without your vote, we don’t know whether you think a 5.5% pay increase is enough of a start towards fair nursing pay.
This isn’t just about us finding out what you think – this is you telling the new government your view and what they must do next for our profession. However you vote, the higher the turnout in this consultation, the better our chances of getting the government to listen and provide fair pay for nursing.
In Scotland, we’ll shortly be consulting members on the NHS pay offer for 2024/25 from the Scottish government. This is a pay offer, not a pay award as it is in England, so it will be up to you, our members, to decide whether this offer meets your expectations. And so, I would encourage you to review the detail of the offer and use your vote when the consultation opens on Tuesday 27 August.
Finally, I’d also like to remind members that there is an opportunity to nominate yourself as a candidate for RCN Council, President and Deputy President in upcoming RCN elections. More information is available on our website – please do find out more and help shape our great profession for our members and those we care for.
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