| Strand Nurses Bureau

A recent BBC Real Story investigation highlighted the exodus of nurses from the NHS to hospitals abroad, particularly Australia. Melissa Gane, Marketing Manager of leading healthcare solutions organisation, Advantage Healthcare, incorporating Strand Nurses Bureau argues that agency nursing could suit many of those currently disaffected with the NHS, or struggling to find work. She believes that only by offering varied work, which is tailored to suit individual nurses, can we as a nation secure this important skill set.

According to the BBC, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) confirmed that of the 8,000 nurses registering to work abroad, 3,200 are heading to Australia. These are nurses who have trained in the UK, but whose skills we may lose forever. Other nations recognise the high standards to which our nurses are trained, which is why hospitals across the globe, and particularly those in Australia, are actively targeting the UK. There have even been reports of hospitals ‘down under’ approaching staff at UK Trusts with budget deficits, to pre-empt any redundancy announcement or job freezes.

And who can blame nurses for being tempted with a new way of life? The lure of lower nurse-to-patient ratios, combined with the promise of better pay and treatment is enough to tempt all but the most steadfast. The situation in the NHS certainly appears to be worsening, and the RCN themselves announced to the Health Select Committee last October that 19,400 posts have been lost or frozen in the past year. When you add to this the leaked NHS report in January 2007 which showed a predicted long-term shortfall of 14,000 nurses in three years time, a true reflection of the current situation can be seen.

I passionately believe that if we lose the skills and experience of many of the nurses currently being tempted overseas, then the NHS will soon face a crisis. Other options are available, and agency nursing can provide a flexible and rewarding alternative, whilst keeping these valuable skills in the UK.

For a number of years agencies such as Strand and Advantage have provided highly qualified nursing staff to a range of public and private establishments. Because agency nursing allows real flexibility, it is ideal for those who have commitments such as childcare, or who are taking part in further study. But agency nursing can also provide full-time hours for those who want them, and nurses can choose which areas they wish to work in.

At Strand and Advantage in particular, there is a lot to choose from; whether complex domiciliary care, occupational health, or clinical work, there are enough options available to suit each and every nurse and client. There is also the opportunity to get involved in high profile events such as the London Marathon or nationwide roadshows such as last year’s Flora Pro:active, Test the Nation’s Health campaign, and our For Life loyalty scheme has been set up where points are accrued for every hour worked, which can then be used to ‘buy’ essential CPD updates, membership of organisations, and even uniforms.

So I would urge any nurses who are considering making such a dramatic change to consider the other options available. Whilst agency nursing in the UK may not be able to compete with the weather in Australia, we certainly can in terms of pay and conditions.

NEWS