Essex NHS trust recruits more than 60 nurses from Botswana

The Essex Partnership University NHS Trust has hired 66 nurses after its recruitment team spent eight days in Botswana interviewing hundreds of applicants.

All determined to have a career with the NHS, the successful medics are said to have impressed with their commitment to patients and understanding of team working.

The trust’s interview panel said the new recruits were committed to providing "nothing short of excellent care" to patients.

Nesta Williams, director of workforce transformation and international recruitment, said she was “delighted” with the quality of new frontliners they had secured.

She added: “Some of the nurses are trained in both mental health and physical health, and this means they could choose to work in a range of services.”

The nurses, who will undertake an exam assessing their clinical and communication skills, are expected to join the largest clinical workforce in the NHS in August.

Upon arrival to the UK, the trust’s pastoral care team will assist the employees with everything from opening a bank account to helping them settle into their new home.

Once up and running, it is hoped they will exchange skills and experience with nurses already in the country, enabling them to learn from one another.

Executive nurse Prof Natalie Hammond said: “The last two years of the pandemic have been extremely challenging.

“A robust nursing workforce helps us provide safe care, meet the needs of our communities.

“It is key to achieving our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

“The nurses joining us from Botswana will reduce the number of nursing vacancies at our trust, resulting in better patient experience and more support for our current staff.

“It’s an exciting time. Our clinicians will have opportunities to share their experience and expertise with our new colleagues from Botswana.”