Health and care coalition to lobby for EU workers to remain in UK

8 Sep 16
A coalition of 29 health and social care organisations has been formed with the aim of lobbying the government to guarantee the status of EU nationals working in the sector following the Brexit vote.

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

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