Overseas NHS Workers Day recognises the extraordinary contribution to patient care during the pandemic, and after, by overseas doctors. The NHS is one of the biggest employers in the world, employing 1.5 million staff- around 14% of which are employed from overseas. The NHS simply could not provide care for the 67 million people in the UK without its international staff- clinical, clerical, and administrative- and in celebration of them, Overseas NHS Workers Day was created in 2021.
Overseas Workers in the NHS
Since it’s inception in 1948, the NHS has benefitted from the massive contributions of overseas workers- and 1 in 5 joiners in 2021 were not UK nationals, and came from 162 nations. International doctors have massively contributed to the progression of healthcare in the UK since long before the NHS was formed- for example, Dr Ronald Ross, an Indian-born medical doctor, discovered the link between mosquitos and malaria in 1897. He won the Nobel prize for his discovery, and later became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society, of which he became Vice-President from 1911-1913. In 1926, the Ross Institute and Hospital for Tropical Diseases was opened on Putney Heath, in London.
Overseas workers and international collaboration are key in pushing knowledge and care globally. This was made clear by the Covid-19 pandemic that saw an extraordinary pace of healthcare innovation, that was only made possible by international collaboration. Overseas Workers Day celebrates the contribution of overseas workers in the NHS- but it is important to recognise the contributions overseas workers have made to the UK, and globally, since before the NHS was formed.
How to celebrate Overseas NHS Workers Day
Taking some time to thank an overseas worker is the best way to celebrate- though wearing green and blue, the colours of the globe, is also encouraged! Some organisations are also holding one minute of silence during the day to honour the NHS workers who lost their lives in the pandemic.
Are you looking to relocate to the UK to work in the NHS?
At Remedium, we know how difficult relocating to the UK can be for international doctors, which is why we are dedicated to making the transition as simple as possible. We provide 24/7 end-to-end support for our doctors with our Red Carpet platform, which has made relocating to the UK much easier for hundreds of international doctors, as well as our dedicated onboarding team.
If you are interested in making the move to the UK to work in the NHS, register your details here and one of our relocation experts will be in touch.
