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UK Code of Practice for international recruitment - NHS Employers

LOGOHERE

Code of Practice for internationalrecruitment

18/3/2014Midnight
TheUK,throughtheDepartmentofHealth,iscommittedtoensuringethicalrecruitmentpracticesoperate
withintheNHSthroughadherencetotheUKCodeofPractice(CoP)forinternationalrecruitment.
NHSEmployersisresponsiblefortheimplementationoftheUKCodeofPracticeforhealthcare
organisationsinvolvedintheinternationalrecruitmentofhealthcareprofessionals.
WemanagethelistofcommercialrecruitmentagenciesthatadheretotheUKCodeofPracticeand
provideadedicatedsupportservicetoNHSorganisationstohelpthemfollowtheguidingprinciplesofthe
codeinalltheirrecruitmentactivities.
TheUKCodeofPracticereflectstheprinciplesandbenchmarkssetoutintheWorldHealthOrganisation
(WHO)CodeofPractice,whichpromotesvoluntaryprinciplesandpracticesintheethicalrecruitmentof
internationalhealthcareprofessionalswithinmemberstatesoftheEuropeancommunity.

The World Health Organisation Code of Practice

TheWHOcodeaimstoestablishandpromotevoluntaryprinciplesandpracticesfortheethical
internationalrecruitmentofhealthpersonnelwithinthememberstatesoftheEuropeancommunity.
Eachmemberstatehasanationalauthorityresponsiblefortheexchangeofinformationregardinghealth
personnelmigrationandtheimplementationoftheWHOcode.NHSEmployerspromotestheuseand
adherencetotheprinciplesofthiscode,bothtoemployersandagencieswhosupplypermanentand
temporarystafftotheNHS,throughtheUKCodeofPractice.
ForfurtherinformationandtoreadtheWHOCodeofPractice,seetheWorldHealthOrganisations
website.

The UK Code of Practice - key points

http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/recruit/employer-led-recruitment/international-recruitment/uk-code-of-practice-for-international-recruitment

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UK Code of Practice for international recruitment - NHS Employers

TheUKcodepromoteshighstandardsofpracticeintheinternationalrecruitmentandemploymentof
healthcareprofessionals.
Anyinternationalrecruitmentofhealthcareprofessionalsshouldnotprejudicethehealthcare
systemsofdevelopingcountries.Healthcareprofessionalsshouldnotbeactivelyrecruitedfrom
developingcountries,unlessthereisaGovernmenttoGovernmentagreementtosupport
recruitmentactivities.
Allemployersarestronglyadvisedtoadheretothecodeinallmattersconcerningtheinternational
recruitmentofhealthcareprofessionals.
AnyrecruitmentagencythatwishestosupplytheNHSmustalsoneedtocomplywiththecode.
Thecodeoffersprinciplesandbestpracticebenchmarkstobemettosupplyinternationalhealthcare
professionalsinanethicalandmanagedway.

Who does the code apply to?

Allhealthcareorganisationsarestronglyadvisedtoadheretothecode.Thecodeappliestothe
appointmentofallhealthcareprofessionalssuppliedbyarecruitmentagencyincludingmedicalstaff,
nurses,dentists,radiographers,physiotherapists,occupationaltherapistsandallotheralliedhealth
professionals.

Guiding principles
Therearesevenguidingprinciplesthatunderpinthecodeofpracticetheseare:
Internationalrecruitmentisasoundandlegitimatecontributiontothedevelopmentofthehealthcare
workforce.
Extensiveopportunitiesexistforindividualsintermsoftrainingandeducationandtheenhancement
ofclinicalpractice.
Developingcountrieswillnotbetargetedforrecruitment,unlessthereisanexplicitgovernmentto
governmentagreementwiththeUKtosupportrecruitmentactivities.
Internationalhealthcareprofessionalswillhavealevelofknowledgeandproficiencycomparableto
thatexpectedofanindividualtrainedintheUK.
InternationalhealthcareprofessionalswilldemonstratealevelofEnglishlanguageproficiency
consistentwithsafeandskilledcommunicationwithpatients,clients,carersandcolleagues.
InternationalhealthcareprofessionalslegallyrecruitedfromoverseastoworkintheUKareprotected
byrelevantUKemploymentlawinthesamewayasallotheremployees.
Internationalhealthcareprofessionalswillhaveequitablesupportandaccesstofurthereducation

http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/recruit/employer-led-recruitment/international-recruitment/uk-code-of-practice-for-international-recruitment

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UK Code of Practice for international recruitment - NHS Employers

andtrainingandcontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentasallotheremployees.

Moredetailsabouttheguidingprinciplescanbefoundinthecodeofpracticedocument,seethe
DepartmentofHealth'swebsite.

Best practice benchmarks

Itisexpectedthatallorganisationsthatcomplywiththecodewillapplythesebestpracticebenchmarks
andwillenterintocontractssolelywithrecruitmentagenciesthathavealsoagreedtoabidebythese:
Thereisnoactiverecruitmentofhealthcareprofessionalsfromdevelopingcountries.
Allinternationalrecruitmentbyhealthcareemployerswillfollowgoodrecruitmentpracticeand
demonstrateasoundethicalapproach.
Internationalhealthcareprofessionalswillnotbechargedfeesinrelationtogainingemploymentin
theUK.
Appropriateinformationabouttheroleappliedforwillbeavailabletoallinternationalhealthcare
professionals.
AllinternationalhealthcareprofessionalswillhavetheappropriatelevelofEnglishlanguageto
enablethemtoundertaketheirroleeffectivelyandmeetregistrationrequirementsoftheappropriate
regulatorybody.
AllappointedinternationalhealthcareprofessionalsmustberegisteredwiththeappropriateUK
regulatorybody.
Allinternationalhealthcareprofessionalsrequiredtoundertakesupervisedpracticeshouldbefully
supportedinthisprocess.
Allinternationalhealthcareprofessionalswillundergothenormalhealthassessmentpriorto
commencingemployment.
Allinternationalhealthcareprofessionalswillhaveappropriatechecksundertakenforanycriminal
convictionsorcautionsasrequiredbyUKlegislation.
Allinternationalhealthcareprofessionalsofferedapostwillhaveavalidworkpermitbeforeentryto
theUKunlesstheyarefromtheEEAarea.
Employersshouldrespondappropriatelytoapplicationsfrominternationalhealthcareprofessionals
whoaremakinganindividualapplication.
Allnewlyappointedinternationalhealthcareprofessionalswillbeofferedappropriatesupportand
induction.

http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/recruit/employer-led-recruitment/international-recruitment/uk-code-of-practice-for-international-recruitment

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Moredetailsaboutthebestpracticebenchmarkscanbefoundinthecodeofpracticedocument,seethe
DepartmentofHealth'swebsite.

Scottish code of practice

ThecodeofpracticeforScottishhealthcareemployerswasofficiallydeclaredinNHSScotlandbythe
MinisterofHealthandCommunityCareinMarch2006.
NHSEmployershasapartnershipagreementwiththeScottishExecutive(SHED)tomonitor
arrangementsforthecodeofpractice.Thiswillensureacollaborativeandconsistentapproachtomonitor
theperformanceandcomplianceofrecruitmentagenciesandNHSScotlandHealthBoardstothe
principlesofthecodeofpractice.
ToobtainacopyoftheScottishCodeofPracticepleasecontactFionaMackenzieon01312442492or
emailfiona.mackenzie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/recruit/employer-led-recruitment/international-recruitment/uk-code-of-practice-for-international-recruitment

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CONTACT
NigelCromack
Nigel.Cromack@nhsemployers.org
01133063017

http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/recruit/employer-led-recruitment/international-recruitment/uk-code-of-practice-for-international-recruitment

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