Who we are
At Mediforce Recruitment Solutions (MEDRS), we specialise in recruiting healthcare professionals, nurses, doctors and care workers from around the world and placing them in full time and permanent positions in the UK.
We connect
We work with private care, residential and nursing homes, as well as NHS Trusts, hospitals and GP surgeries to identify vacancies and skill shortages, and then identify potential candidates from our network of international healthcare employment agencies.
There are many people who live overseas who already have ambitions to work in the UK in the medical and healthcare industry, and equally many more who have never considered that this opportunity even exists and is highly encouraged and achievable. In the UK we need to increase the number of recruits at pace, but most importantly focus our valuable resources on recruiting the very best candidates into a job they will enjoy and thrive in.
Key to Success
In our experience, the key to success is finding overseas workers who first and foremost have a strong desire to live and work in the UK. Knowledge and language skills can be acquired, and we must all continue to learn lifelong. However, there are many cultural differences which candidates must embrace and enjoy if our placements are to be permanent and sustainable.
Ethical Recruitment
At Mediforce we fully support the need for Ethical International Recruitment Practices and the need to adhere to the Code of Practice (CoP) for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel. The code is promoted by NHS Employers, part of the NHS Confederation. We subscribe to the Code and its best practice benchmarks and outline some of the key principles of the Code below. The full Code is available on the Department of Health and Social Care website.
There are five guiding principles that underpin the Code of Practice:
Development
International migration of health and social care personnel can make a contribution to the development and strengthening of health and social care systems to both countries of origin and destination countries if recruitment is managed properly.
Opportunities
Opportunities exist for individuals, organisations and the health and care systems to train and educate and enhance their clinical practice.
Compliance
There must be no active international recruitment from countries on the list, unless there is an explicit government-to-government agreement with the UK to support managed recruitment activities that are undertaken strictly in compliance with the terms of that agreement.
Recruitment
Recruitment of international health and social care personnel is closely monitored and reported on to the Cross Whitehall International Recruitment Steering Group and the WHO.
Equal Rights
International health and social care personnel will have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestically trained staff in all terms of employment and conditions of work. They will also have the same access to further education and training and continuous professional development.
The UK Healthcare Crises
Recruiting healthcare workers from overseas to the UK is a necessary step to meet the healthcare needs of the nation. There is no other short-term alternative. Quite simply we don’t have enough care workers, nurses and doctors at all levels and in all locations in the UK. Some conservatively estimate that vacancy levels across the UK Healthcare Industry currently exceed 133,000. This figure is only rising day by day.
UK Healthcare
It is essential that we work quickly and efficiently to find positive channels to attract high performing overseas healthcare workers to relocate to the UK and support our healthcare industry, in hospitals, private practice and nursing homes.
The UK healthcare sector has been facing a shortage in healthcare professionals for many years, and although the UK Government has been actively taking measures to attract healthcare professionals from overseas, much more needs to be done. Despite what can be a sometimes challenging recruitment process, recruiting healthcare workers from overseas has helped to fill the talent gap in the healthcare sector and has made a massive contribution to improvement UK healthcare provision and availability.
The healthcare sector in the UK needs a large number of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare workers, to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. The UK government has implemented several measures to facilitate the process of recruiting healthcare workers from overseas. These measures include easing immigration rules, streamlining visa processes, and increasing the number of overseas recruitment campaigns.
One of the main challenges in recruiting healthcare workers from overseas is the cultural differences between different countries. Healthcare professionals from overseas may need to adapt to a new culture, language, and work practices. To overcome these challenges, the UK government has introduced several initiatives such as cultural competency training, language courses, and support programs for overseas healthcare workers.
Another key challenge in recruiting healthcare workers from overseas is the cost involved. The cost of recruitment, immigration, and relocation of overseas healthcare workers can be significant. The UK government is addressing this challenge by offering tax incentives, funding education and training programs, and providing a range of financial incentives for healthcare professionals.
Several strategies have been used in recruiting healthcare workers from overseas to the UK. These strategies include advertising vacancies in overseas healthcare journals and medical conferences, partnering with overseas recruitment firms, and setting up international recruitment campaigns. Many UK healthcare organizations have established international recruitment teams to facilitate the recruitment process and provide support to overseas healthcare workers.
In recent years, the UK healthcare sector has been recruiting healthcare professionals from the European Union as well as from other parts of the world. However, following the UK’s exit from the EU, the recruitment of healthcare workers from the EU has become more challenging. This has led to the UK government launching new recruitment initiatives to attract healthcare professionals from non-EU countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of recruiting healthcare workers from overseas to the UK. The pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on the UK healthcare sector, and the recruitment of healthcare professionals from overseas has become even more critical. As a result, the UK government has eased immigration rules and fast-tracked the process of recruiting healthcare workers from overseas to support the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 crisis.
The recruitment of overseas healthcare workers into the UK is a critical and essential component of the governments strategy to address the shortage of healthcare professionals in the UK healthcare sector. Despite some challenges in the recruitment process, the UK government has implemented several measures to facilitate the recruitment of qualified overseas healthcare professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the critical need for overseas recruitment to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services in the UK. Ongoing initiatives to ease recruitment processes and provide support to overseas healthcare workers will help to ensure the continued availability of qualified healthcare professionals in the UK.
NHS Pay & Benefits 2023
Compassionate care comes from staff who are well looked after, and the NHS is a well-respected national employer.
They have one of the most competitive and supportive benefits packages offered anywhere in the UK, including:
- 37.5 hour working week
- minimum of 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- annual personal development review and plan to support your career aspirations
- access to training courses for all staff
- paid sick leave
Salaries by band are as follows with a newly qualified nurses salary starting from £28,407.
Nursery Assistant
£22,383
Examples of roles at band 1 – domestic support worker, housekeeping assistant, driver and nursery assistant.
Healthcare Assistant
< 2 years’ experience £22,383
2+ years £22,383
Examples of roles at band 2 – domestic support worker, housekeeping assistant, driver, nursery assistant, domestic team leader, security officer, secretary/typist and healthcare assistant.
Emergency Care Assistant
<2 years’ experience £22,816
2+ years £24,336
Examples of roles at band 3- emergency care assistant, trainee clinical coder, estates officer and occupational therapy support worker.
Theatre Support Worker
< 3 years’ experience £25,147
3+ years £27,596
Examples of roles at band 4 – assistant practitioner, audio visual technician, pharmacy technician, dental nurse and theatre support worker.
Newly Qualified Nurse
<2 years’ experience £28,407
2-4 years £30,639
4+ years £34,581
Examples of roles at band 5 (includes many newly qualified clinical professionals) – operating department practitioner (ODP), podiatrist, learning disability nurse, therapeutic radiographer and ICT test analyst.
Band 5 Nurses often start in a hospital ward setting, allowing them to gain more experience in a workplace setting and providing opportunities to further their qualifications and training. Band 5 Nurses will have a diploma or degree in nursing as a formal qualification, with additional skills such as organisation, IT and communication.
Staff Nurses are usually responsible for creating care plans for their patients, managing said plans and delivering high-quality and compassionate care for the duration of a patient’s stay. These nurses will be part of a close-knit team and will have opportunities to learn from other experienced healthcare professionals
Nursing specialist or Senior Nurse
<2 years’ experience £35,392
2-5 years £37,350
5+ years £42,618
Examples of roles at band 6 – school nurse, experienced paramedic, health records manager and clinical psychology trainee.
Band 6 Nurses often have very similar responsibilities to a Band 5 Nurse. The key difference between the two is that Band 6 Nurses are beginning to become specialised (depending on their chosen path).
To progress into Band 6, you’ll need to actively pursue training in your chosen specialisation, as well as gain enough experience working in a healthcare setting. You’ll be given more responsibilities including supervising students, staff and other team members you’ll be working with.
Advanced Nurse / Nurse Practitioner
<2 years’ experience £43,742
2-5 years £45,996
5+ years £50,056
Examples of roles at band 7 – communications manager, estates manager, high intensity therapist and advanced speech and language therapist.
Band 7 roles tend to require a Master’s level degree or equivalent. Meaning that you’ll need to take on years of extra study and training to reach this band. Most trusts and employers want to help nurses reach this level, so you’ll have plenty of support
Job Responsibilities see a fairly significant jump from Band 6. The most important responsibilities of a Band 7 nurse include being able to conduct detailed assessments, make diagnoses and prescribe medicine to patients (Similar to a doctor).
Modern Matron or Chief Nurse
< 5 years’ experience £50,952
5+ years £57,349
Examples of roles at band 8a – consultant prosthetist/orthotist, dental laboratory manager, project and programme management, modern matron (nursing) and nurse consultant (mental health nursing).
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< 5 years’ experience £58,972
5+ years £68,525
Examples of roles at band 8b – strategic management, head of education and training, clinical physiology service manager and head orthoptist.
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<5 – ears’ experience £70,417
5+ years £81,138
Examples of roles at band 8c – head of human resources, consultant clinical scientist (molecular genetics/cytogenetics) and consultant paramedic.
Consultant
<5 years’ experience £99,891
5+ years £114,949
Examples of roles at band 9 include podiatric consultant (surgery), chief finance manager and director of estates and facilities.
High Cost Area Supplements
Certain regions of the UK qualify for enhanced salary payments to reflect higher cost of living expenses in those regions. Examples are shown below.
Inner London | 20% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £5,132 and a maximum payment of £7,746 |
Outer London | 15% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,314 and a maximum payment of £5,436 |
Fringe | 5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,192 and a maximum payment of £2,011 |