Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for nurses who qualified outside of the UK and whose qualifications are not recognised in the UK to work in the NHS during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government recognises the valuable contribution that healthcare workers who have trained outside of the United Kingdom make to the health and social care sector.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the UK and nursing associates in England. It sets the standards that registrants must meet to demonstrate that they are capable of practising safely and effectively in those professions.

Overseas professionals whose qualifications and training do not meet the NMC’s qualification standards will continue to be able to work in the National Health Service and wider health and care sector during the COVID-19 outbreak, delivering a range of vital non-regulated roles.