Nursing and Midwifery: overseas recruitment latest

Dealing with applications from (non-EU) overseas countries continues to be a major activity for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

The Council's latest Statistical analysis of the register gives detailed information about the number of international applications, and what happens to them.

The total number of people coming onto the register from overseas is down, from over 15,000 the previous year to less than 13,000. However the latter figure may be a little misleading, as there was a serious backlog in the number of applications awaiting a decision during this period. This backlog has since been cleared, so the next set of figures may well show a significant increase.

The Philippines is once again the number one supplier of overseas nurses and midwives (5593). However, the total number is down, offset by a huge increase in the number of successful applicants from India, from 994 the previous year to 1830.

NMC officers took over 30,000 decisions about new applications last year. For the first time, the statistical analysis gives a full breakdown of the different kinds of decision. The majority of decisions made in the year comprised either rejection or, most commonly, acceptance subject to a practice placement of at least three months. Only a small number of applicants were required to take English tests.

The NMC is currently consulting on changes to the way it deals with overseas applications. The Council is proposing to set standards for an overseas nursing programme for UK registration, which it hopes will encourage consistency in preparing applicants for UK registration and provide a basis for ensuring that decisions about overseas applications are consistent, transparent and equitable.

For full details, visit the NMC website at: www.nmc-uk.org