KMPT pastoral care for internationally recruited colleagues commended

We are #KMPTProud to achieve the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award recognising our ongoing commitment to providing high quality pastoral care to internationally educated nurses and occupational therapists, during their recruitment process and throughout their employment.

The award recognises the incredible work being carried out by colleagues across the trust to ensure our international colleagues receive enhanced and tailored pastoral care as they start their NHS journey here at KMPT.

Following the NHS Nursing International Recruitment Programme (IR) guidelines, the trust is delivering an ethical and sustainable recruitment model to increase and develop its workforce.

From completing visa applications and booking flights, to finding accommodation, practical advice and help is given to all staff recruited via the IR scheme.

KMPT Head of Resourcing and Information, Naomi Corner, said:  “We have worked hard to put in place a package that supports each and every one of our international recruits from the moment they accept a job offer with the trust to the moment they arrive in the UK and beyond.

“It is heartening to hear positive feedback from our new colleagues, such as ‘The warm welcome makes me feel like I never left home - I have found a new family here.  The people are just simply amazing and I smile everyday knowing I am in good hands with KMPT’.”

Having been introduced to teams and managers by way of online meetings before coming to the UK, on arrival the new team members are met at the airport and taken by taxi to their accommodation, which has been secured for eight weeks by the trust.  During this time, nurses receive intensive practical training in preparation for taking the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), which assesses ability to competently apply professional nursing skills and knowledge in the UK.

Whilst this transition marks the end of the official involvement of the pastoral care team, dedicated KMPT staff continue to provide professional and personal support as the employees adjust to their new life in the UK.  After the initial settling-in period, a facility for securing long-term accommodation is available and managers provide a mentoring and liaison service for as long as it is needed.

Ethical international recruitment forms part of KMPT’s strategic commitment to build a sustainable workforce for the future, recruiting and retaining skilled staff to help support those people with longstanding and complex needs living in Kent and Medway.

Launched in March 2022, the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award scheme is helping to standardise the quality and delivery of pastoral care for internationally educated nurses and midwives across England to ensure they receive high-quality pastoral support. It’s also an opportunity for trusts to recognise their work in international recruitment and demonstrate their commitment to staff wellbeing both to potential and existing employees.

The NHS has always benefited from overseas recruitment and from nurses coming from other countries to live and work in England. Recruitment from outside of the UK continues to feature as an important part of the workforce supply strategy of NHS organisations, in line with the NHS People Plan. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out the ambitions for the NHS over the next 10 years, identifying ethical international recruitment as a workforce priority.

Further information about the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award can be found here:

NHS England » NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award – International nurses and midwives