Last Updated on May 10, 2016

In the face of changing immigration rules that could impact on the already increasing shortage of nurses in the county, Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England has added his voice to the debate to say that it is time to ‘rethink’ the policy.

In a speech at the Institute of Directors’ Annual Convention 2015, Mr Stevens said, ‘Understandably we’re having a national discussion about how to get immigration right. My responsibility is to point out that at time when the need for nurses is growing, when publicly funded UK nurse training places will take several years to expand, and when agency staff costs are driving hospital overspends right now, we need to better “join up the dots” on immigration policy and the NHS.

‘However most nurses I speak to struggle to understand why our immigration rules define ballet dancers as a shortage occupation – but not nursing. And most hospitals tell me that the idea that we would seriously consider deporting some of our most experienced and committed nurses solely because they’re not earning £35,000 clearly needs a rethink.’

Mr Stevens also said that the NHS could not duck the debate about the funding of social care. He said it was time to ‘get creative’ about policy in this area and suggested it was worth exploring ideas to release housing equity to pay for these services.

Mr Stevens’ concerns over immigration add to those of the Royal College of Nursing, whose research in June revealed that changes to immigration rules will risk intensifying the severe shortage of nurses in the UK, compromising patient safety, as well as costing the health service millions. www.caremanagementmatters.co.uk/immigration-rules-will-cause-nursing-chaos/