NHS nursing recruitment from overseas: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002


Information requested

  • How many nurses from overseas have been recruited to work in the NHS in Scotland using third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, between the beginning of this financial year and the date of response to this query?
  • How many nurses from overseas is the Scottish Government seeking recruit to work in the NHS in Scotland using third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, between the date of response to this query and the end of this current financial year?
  • How much has the Scottish Government paid in fees to third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, to recruit nurses from overseas between the beginning of this financial year and the time of response to this query?

Response

How many nurses from overseas have been recruited to work in the NHS in Scotland using third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, between the beginning of this financial year and the date of response to this query?

In this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested as this information is not held centrally. However, you may wish to contact individual Health Boards who may be able to help you.

How many nurses from overseas is the Scottish Government seeking recruit to work in the NHS in Scotland using third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, between the date of response to this query and the end of this current financial year?

On 5 October 2021 the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care announced that funding would be made available to Health Boards to recruit at least 200 registered nurses from overseas. However it is a decision for individual Boards as to how they take forward the international recruitment of these nurses, as with all recruitment, and whether to engage a third party recruitment agency. It is not for the Scottish Government to prescribe to Boards that a recruitment agency should be used.

How much has the Scottish Government paid in fees to third party recruitment agencies, including NHS trusts outside of Scotland, to recruit nurses from overseas between the beginning of this financial year and the time of response to this query?

The Scottish Government has not paid any fees to third party recruitment agencies, including NHS Trusts outside Scotland, to recruit nurses to date from the beginning of the financial year.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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