The Royal College of Nursing Wales has said a government deal to welcome 200 doctors and nurses from the Indian state of Kerala does not go far enough in addressing issues in the nursing sector.
RCN Wales Associate Director Nikki Hughes told CJS News that whilst the Keralan staff would bring “excellent skills, experience and expertise”, the international recruitment drive was a ‘short-term fix’ considering the planned closure of Cardiff University’s School of Nursing.
“We know that there are 2000 nursing vacancies, but we don’t actually know how many of the 200 people [from Kerala] are actually nurses, we just haven’t got that detail.”
“That’s gonna be a very small drop in the ocean considering the number of vacancies we’ve got so the focus has to be on getting nurses through education.
The Welsh Government’s partnership with the Keralan government initially began in 2024, when an agreement was signed by then Health Minister Eluned Morgan. Since becoming First Minister, her successor Jeremy Miles said the partnership’s main benefit would be a reduced dependency on agency staff.
“I am pleased a further 200 healthcare professionals from Kerala will be playing an important part in supporting NHS Wales.”
“Being able to recruit in this way directly with the government of Kerala, rather than through expensive third party agencies, also makes a contribution to making sure that the money we’re investing in the workforce is spent wisely.”
But the RCN is more concerned with wider investment into the nursing sector than the present funding’s efficiency.
“Overseas recruitment is one element but the Welsh Government need to look at fundamentals in Wales that mean we have that shortage,” Hughes said.
“Current corridor care creates huge stress on nurses and people wanting to stay in the profession. It’s both a recruitment and retention issue when nursing is not seen as an attractive profession. The fundamental issues won’t change with this [Kerala agreement].”