The Newcastle Hospitals has been awarded the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award for International Nurses and Midwives recognising the high quality support offered to internationally educated nursing and midwifery colleagues.
Launched in March 2022, the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award is part of NHS England’s International Recruitment Programme, supporting NHS trusts to develop and enhance their own organisational international recruitment plans.
It is through this scheme that NHS trusts can apply for a quality award based on their international recruitment practices. To achieve the award, trusts need to meet a set of standards co-developed with regional and trust international recruitment leads and international nursing and midwifery associations, which provide pastoral and professional support to international nurses and midwives in the UK.
High quality pastoral care
Maurya Cushlow, Executive chief nurse said “I am very proud of the work the international nursing team do to support our internationally educated nurses and midwives and for their achievement in gaining this prestigious award.
“The award is a recognition of all the Trust’s work in international recruitment and our commitment to providing high-quality pastoral care to all our internationally educated nurses and midwives during their recruitment process and employment.”
Life changing decision
International nursing colleagues making a truly life changing decision to join us at the Newcastle Hospitals offer high calibre nursing expertise, along with a diversity of skills and experience complimenting the teams they have joined.
The successful deployment and retention of nurses from overseas demonstrates the significance of international recruitment as a key priority for our Nursing, Midwifery and AHP workforce strategy and has promoted improved care and safety to all patient areas.
The comprehensive pastoral support we offer has been fundamental towards ensuring that all candidates feel well supported and able to integrate into both the Trust and our local communities:
- Professional pre-engagement with recruitment agencies and undertaking interviews
- Promoting Newcastle Hospitals’ reputation as a Trust that is committed to providing high quality development, learning and career opportunities
- Dedicated liaison sessions with Matrons and Ward sisters / Charge nurses to carefully plan safe staff placements
- Planning timetables and dedicated support from point of arrival to OSCE examinations and NMC pin
- Sourcing welcome packs, ‘Meet and greet’ at airport and escort to accommodation
- Setting up bank accounts, ensuring availability of finances with cash advances, uniform fitting and Occupational Health appointments
- Inviting all candidates to join a ‘WhatsApp’ chat group to receive instructions regarding daily timetables, expectations and ability to seek advice, guidance and pastoral support
- Delivery of OSCE timetabling and ‘Bootcamps’ for both adult and children’s nursing
- Escort to test centre for OSCE examination and support outcome as appropriate.
Award winning support
Newcastle’s all embracing approach to pastoral support has been recognised nationally with our senior nurse for international recruitment – Audrey Tapang – winning the Nursing Times Overseas Nurse of the Year Award in 2022.
Audrey relocated from the Philippines to pursue a new start in life with the Newcastle Hospitals in 2015 and in just five years took on the role of clinical educator to support fellow international nurses through the OSCE preparation process.
She now leads the international recruitment team for the Newcastle Hospitals – one of the largest and most successful NHS Teaching Hospitals in England and is very much recognised for her committed approach to NHS England’s “Stay and Thrive” campaign and how she ensures that Newcastle’s international recruitment pastoral care offer is the best.
