This Overseas NHS Workers Day (1 March) we’re celebrating our internationally trained colleagues and their valuable contribution to providing care for our patients.
More than 1,600 colleagues joined Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) through international recruitment and sponsorship routes, including doctors, nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs).
EPUT was one of the first few mental health trusts to be approved by the General Medical Council to sponsor an international recruitment programme for psychiatrists.
The EPUT Advanced Fellowship in Psychiatry offers experienced psychiatrists who have qualified abroad the opportunity to advance their career at EPUT.
It was launched in June 2021 and 33 doctors have so far been appointed from a wide range of countries, including Egypt, India, Sudan, Nepal, Nigeria and Pakistan. There are currently 28 working across the Trust.
The programme has helped to fill vacancies that might otherwise have been covered by locums on a short term basis.
Dr Prashanth Peethala was the first doctor to arrive under the scheme in August 2021.
Dr Peethala, who specialises in old age psychiatry, said: “It’s been quite an eventful journey. I really enjoy it.
“Initially it was a bit challenging but what I found was that I was very lucky because the people around me were very supportive and I got to learn a lot more than I imagined I would learn.
“It’s not just the knowledge about the subject, but it’s also about people and the people that I’m working with. That I think has been the most interesting part of the journey.”
Dr Aditya Devulapalli completed his residency and taught students in India. He has been at EPUT for just over a month.
He said: “I appreciate the way holistic care is delivered to the patients and I look forward to undergo higher training here.
“It has been great. I’m loving what I am doing. My work-life balance is more organised, and colleagues are extremely helpful and have really helped me understand the system.
“And I am able to do what I love, which is teaching as well, so that’s great, it’s been good so far.”
Dr Kallur Suresh, who leads the EPUT Advanced Fellowship in Psychiatry programme with Dr Abdul Raoof, said: “Recruitment and retention is currently a major challenge across the NHS. EPUT is one of the earliest Trusts to open up this opportunity for International Fellows to further enhance their training and get experience of working in the UK.
“We are keen to ensure these Fellows have a positive experience of training and we are committed to supporting their career progression.
“These doctors have provided much needed stability to many services and have helped us to launch new services, such as our Urgent Care Department in Basildon.
“Ultimately, this contributes to high quality patient care and goes a long way towards achieving our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.”
The Trust is also accredited with an NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award for the support it offers to the 240 nurses and 24 AHPs who joined via our International Recruitment programme.
Hephzibah Chinta moved to the UK from India in 2022 and now works at the Christopher Unit, a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit in Chelmsford. In May 2023 she was named ‘International Nurse of the Year’ in recognition of her work.
She said: “I work with a great team who support me a lot. I’m also grateful for how the Trust has supported me since moving to the UK to continue my nursing journey and I look forward to further progressing my career.”
Nurses and AHPs who joined the Trust through the programme have settled in well and many are now looking to expand on their skills.
Olivia Chukwu, from Nigeria, is currently completing a university degree alongside her work at the Mental Health Urgent Care Department.
Olivia said: “My journey in the UK has been interesting and educational, although challenging at times. Attitudes towards mental health are very different in the UK and it has been a wonderful experience to see how things are done here.
“I’ve found my feet here. I love making contributions during team meetings and putting forward recommendations to improve patient care.
“After completing my bachelor’s degree, I’d like to progress to a master’s degree so I can keep improving people’s lives and contributing to the NHS.”
These new nurses and AHPs have brought a wealth of skills experience to EPUT, enhancing the diversity of our workforce. The International Recruitment programme has also helped fill vacancies in key areas and reduce spend on bank and agency staff.