More than 40% of international health staff considering leaving UK – survey

Two in five international health staff are considering leaving the UK, with many not feeling welcome or safe because of anti-immigrant rhetoric, according to new research.

Unison said plans to make it harder for migrant workers to settle in the UK, along with mounting visa fees and restrictions, risked worsening the NHS staffing crisis.

The union’s survey of almost 1,900 international health staff who came to work in the UK found more than two-fifths (43%) were now considering leaving, a quarter did not feel welcome and a fifth felt unsafe.

Unison said respondents highlighted the difficulty of trying to plan for the future if rules changed and the unsettling impact on their families.

The union’s head of health Helga Pile said: “The UK’s health and care services would collapse without the skilled workers who’ve come here from overseas. How we treat them matters – they should be respected, not taken advantage of and abused.

“It’s shocking so many NHS staff say they don’t feel safe or welcome in this country. No wonder so many are thinking of leaving.

“These findings make it clear ministers must think again about trebling the settlement period for crucial migrant health and care staff. Otherwise, the workforce crisis will get worse.

“Politicians of all stripes need to stop demonising people who are doing crucial work, often for very low pay. They’re the ones shoring up the UK’s crumbling health and care sectors. We simply cannot do without them.”