Health and social care experts work to guarantee status of EU staff

A new coalition of health and social care experts are on a mission to guarantee the status of EU staff as Britain prepares for its withdrawal from the EU.

A group of 29 health and social care organisations, the Cavendish Coalition, has been created to ensure sustainable workforce supply and thereby standards of care are maintained now Brexit discussions are underway.

The coalition’ goal is to provide those leading Brexit negotiations with the expertise, evidence and knowledge required on issues affecting the health and social care sectors. It has already submitted evidence to a cross-party inquiry chaired by MP Gisela Stuart, which will examine options for guaranteeing the status of EU nationals who are currently living in the UK. The coalition is united in its belief that EU citizens working in the UK’s social care and health sectors should remain.

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive, NHS Employers, said: “This coalition of health and social care experts will be a shared voice, working together to ensure continuing quality in health and social care post-EU referendum.

“First and foremost we need to influence and support the Government in a way which allows it to grant indefinite leave to remain for the 144,000 EU workers in health and social care. EU citizens are a hugely valued and appreciated part of the workforce caring for service users and patients and should be treated as such.”

Janet Davies, RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, said: “Our health and social care services have been relying on hardworking and talented EU nurses and others for many years and will continue to do so. The first priority must be to guarantee the futures of these committed EU staff in our health and care services.

“Allowing any ongoing ambiguity over their future is the wrong way of treating people who care for our friends and family every day, and continues to make recruitment and retention even more difficult. In the longer term, a comprehensive workforce strategy is needed to tackle the chronic shortage of health workers by investing in training more nurses and other health professionals domestically.”

Care Providers Alliance Chair, Frank Ursell, and Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen, added: “With around 80,000 jobs filled by workers with EU nationality who make a valued contribution to adult social care in England, employers and their workers are uncertain of the impact of the decision to leave.

“All the adult social care organisations who have signed up to this coalition can use their knowledge to help inform the post-Brexit decision-making process to ensure that millions of people in our communities, and their families and carers, can continue to access quality social care and health provision.”