Starting a new job is daunting enough, let alone moving to another country. What can the NHS do to make sure overseas workers feel welcome?

For healthcare staff considering relocating to the UK for work or those newly arrived, the experience can often feel overwhelming and, at times, even unsafe.

Dr Salman Waqar, the president of the British Islamic Medical Association (Bima) told The Guardian: “I’ve seen some really terrible messages, particularly coming out from Belfast and in Greater Manchester, of people having to close up their GP surgery early, of people being trapped in their practices, of people having to take taxis back and forth from work, people not going on home visits, people working remotely from home, there’s too many to mention and to count.”

Following the tragic killings of three young girls in Southport, a wave of violence and anger was directed at migrants and asylum seekers.

The unrest quickly escalated into nationwide riots, resulting in over 1,000 people being charged in connection with the disorder.

International NHS staff also became targets of the violence and racism. In one incident, two Filipino NHS nurses travelling to work by taxi in Sunderland were attacked when rioters in the city centre pelted their vehicle with rocks.

The Filipino Senior Nurses Alliance UK said on X that they “strongly condemn” the attacks and added: “Our community has been an integral part of the NHS since 1969. We are united against racism and will continue to support our colleagues.”

Seeing these events in the news is understandably alarming for many overseas NHS workers.

Here, we explore ways NHS managers and staff can support them, fostering a welcoming and positive work environment.

Addressing bullying/harassment effectively

Following the attacks on Filipino healthcare staff, health secretary Wes Streeting amended NHS guidance to list “when there is discriminatory behaviour, including racism” as one of the situations that may justify a nurse declining to give care.

This was in an effort to curb the amount of harassment and abuse that overseas or people of colour (POC) are subject to in healthcare. 

Streeting said: “I will not tolerate, under any circumstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy in the NHS and we’ll take a zero-tolerance approach in social care too.

“People who are abusing NHS staff can be turned away, and should be turned away, if that is the way that they are treating our staff.”

He went on to express his pride at the international staff working in NHS and social care services in the UK providing “great, compassionate care”.

While this is a step forward in terms of government action, there is much that NHS managers and staff can do to improve the workplace.

Prioritise mental health

Making sure staff feel supported and like they belong should be one of the key priorities for managers. 

A survey in April found that over three in four NHS staff said they have experienced a mental health condition in the last year. In addition, more than one in two reported experiencing anxiety and a similar proportion had struggled with low mood. Over two in five respondents said they’d experienced exhaustion and 60 per cent said they were worried about their colleagues’ mental health.

While this is applicable for everyone working in the NHS, overseas healthcare workers can be hit with an extra dose of burnout and stress. 

It’s not just harassment from patients and the public that can concern international NHS workers, but also the issue of burning out can loom larger.

In 2021, Nuffield Trust estimated that based on an average joining age of 30, an overseas nurse not from the EU might work in the NHS for an average of 12 years, which is three years longer than an UK national and six years longer than a nurse from the EU.

Improving staff mental health is not an easy fix, but it is an essential aspect to consider. One way staff can feel more supported in their wellbeing is by setting up a buddy system for those who are new to the country.

Many sectors use this method to make their employees feel more comfortable in a new place with new people, particularly in education. Moving to a new country as well as starting a new job comes with even more worries for many. This includes finding somewhere to live, new bank accounts, national insurance numbers, registering with a GP, UK sim cards, access to schools, and navigating public transport.

Setting up a buddy system or having good pastoral care to help them make these arrangements can make a huge difference to their transition period. Coordinating social activities during those first crucial few months is another way to create a cohesive, welcoming team atmosphere with high staff retention.