In a statement released today, the ‘Cavendish Coalition’ also pledged to provide officials leading the negotiations with expertise, evidence and knowledge on issues affecting the health and social care sectors.
More broadly, the organisation seeks to ensure a sustainable workforce supply to maintain standards of care as Britain withdraws from the EU. The coalition is “united in its belief that EU citizens working in the UK’s social care and health sectors should remain.”
The group has already submitted evidence to a cross-party enquiry chaired by MP Gisela Stuart, which will examine the options for guaranteeing the status of EU nationals already in the UK.
Beyond this, the group aims to support the economic and social health of communities through training and employment to ensure the UK continues to be able to attract skills from Europe and around the world.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said the coalition would be a shared voice, “working together to ensure continuing quality in health and social care post-EU referendum.”
He said it would provide a “focal point for engagement” with government departments, NHS arms-length bodies and regulators on the workforce issues arising from the Brexit vote.
“The hard work begins now,” he said. “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,” he added.
Janet Davies, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, a member of the coalition, agreed that the first priority should be to guarantee the future of EU staff within health and care services. She said these had been “relying on hardworking and talented EU nurses and others for many years and will continue to do so.”
She added: “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.”
She called for a long-term workforce strategy to address the “chronic” shortage of health workers, and for more domestic training for nurses and other health professionals.
The full list of organisations in the coalition is:
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Association for Real Change
Association of UK University Hospitals
British Medical Association
Care England
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Mental Health Network
National Association of Primary Care
National Care Association
New NHS Alliance
NHS Clinical Commissioners
NHS Confederation
NHS Employers
NHS European Office
NHS Partners
NHS Providers
Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care
Pharmacy Voice
Registered Nursing Home Association,
Royal College of Nursing
Shelford Group
Skills for Care
The National Care Forum
The Royal College of Midwives
The Welsh NHS Confederation
Unison
United Kingdom Homecare Association
Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
