Life & Health

Nepal and the United Kingdom government are all set to sign a labour agreement, paving the way for thousands of Nepali nurses to work in the UK.

Officials say details of the deal are still being worked out, but initial reports indicate that the offer seems too-good-to-be-true. Once implemented, it will see thousands of under-45 Nepali nurses traveling to the UK for free and work there for up to five years, earning an annual salary of up to 33,000-plus Pounds (Rs 5,048,010).

To meet the health workforce requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage targets, over 18 million additional health workers are needed by 2030. Gaps in the supply of and demand for health workers are concentrated in low and lower-middle-income countries. The growing demand for health workers is projected to add an estimated 40 million health sector jobs to the global economy by 2030, the World Health Organization has said. 

As Nepal’s nursing students and professionals look at the offer in awe, many wonder, how life in the UK as a nurse would be like in terms of work-life balance and financial rewards? To find out more, NepalMinute has interviewed four nurses working in the UK. 

1. Rashmita Darlami, the vice-president of Nepalese Nursing Association UK, Ward Manager of acute surgical ward, Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust

I came to London in 2005. While in Nepal I used to work in a private hospital. There were no savings. I wanted to help my sister in her education.  Some of my seniors had come to the UK earlier. So, I discussed with some of my friends about going to the UK. A total of 65 of us came together. I spent £5,000 then as I came through an agency. It was not easy for us to get the job then. Though we didn’t get the jobs we couldn’t return to Nepal as we had to repay our loans. There was no one to hear our voices. No day was spent without crying, as we missed home. I missed my family, Nepali food, momos the Nepali environment everything. Some of the nurses even worked staying in freezers for 12 hours. 

Many Nepali nurses have been asking me if there are any ways out to come to UK without having to sit for the English language tests. How can that be possible? It is a country where every communication takes place in English language. Without having the English language skills it’s difficult to come here. If you want to come from agencies, you will have difficulties but if you really want to come, then make preparations, study and apply. 

We haven’t been so rich working for so long years in UK. So, I am not much hopeful about the salaries of the nurses as it has come in media. 

Emergence and transmission of the diseases have ascended the need for human resources in the medical sector across the world. Instead of sending the nurses here the Nepal government must give proper salaries to the nurses. It should be practiced in both the private and public health care centres. It is not only about producing number of nurses but it is also about recruiting them and encouraging them. The Nepal government must make provisions of recruiting the new nurses in the country itself.

2. Sabina Sedhai, a registered nurse in UK

I came to London for my Masters degree. I work in a private health care here. There is more money in the private health care facilities. I used to work in a project before I came here. The salary was not so satisfactory. 

Lack of pay scale and good future in nursing career in Nepal makes me spend my entire life in London. We also need to look for the security of our family. At some point, I think I will come back to start my own projects there but to return to Nepal to work as a nurse is a big no.

Language could be a barrier for Nepali nurses in the beginning in the UK. One needs to pass the English language tests and needs to speak the language. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Occupational English Test is used to test the English language levels of healthcare professionals in the UK. I suggest nurses to take IELTS test in Nepal and secure good marks as English language tests are mandatory here for license. 
 

3. Kriteena Subba Limbu, a registered nurse in UK

I came to the UK in January 2020 after completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Nepal. I work in a private health care. It was a blessing in disguise to me actually. There were jobs everywhere because of coronavirus. I started working to meet my expenses. Though the pay is good here there are living standards one needs to meet. 

Respect for the health care staffers either a male or a female is a top notch here but there is only backbiting in Nepal. The job needs to be taken seriously here as one’s licence can be cancelled here anytime when one makes mistakes. If you start from a basic post, then you will understand a lot of things.  

Living away from family and work stresses hampers your mental health. If you want to work and enjoy or take a break and live for a few months freely without working then Nepal is better.

4. Binodbikash Simkhada, Oral Health Promotion Service Manager at Central London Community Healthcare, National Health Services HS Trust

I came to London in 2004 after completing my 10+2. My family suggested me to pursue nursing studies as they knew that nursing was one of the blooming careers in London. There is a good pay scale even for the beginners. Also, the working hours are flexible. Health care centres are giving around £24,500 per year in the entry level excluding the allowances. 

Nursing career for males is like any other jobs. Anyone can get education and skills regardless of his or her gender here. The demands for the nurses are high here, in the UK. Looking at the prospects in career some of my friends even ask me to search a female nurse to get married to.

Worries in Nepal

According to Nepal Nursing Council, a regulatory authority responsible for the registration of nurses as of March 27, 2022, there are 68,316 registered nurses in Nepal. There are 598 specialist nurses and 28 midwives along with 845 foreign nurses registered in the council. About 8,000-9,000 nursing graduates sit for licensing examination each year.

Concerns have been raised regarding the government sending nurses to the UK. When a large number of human resources are taken to other countries the facilities being provided using the human resource will have to be compromised. “There will be a scarcity of nurses. They will be not able to deliver quality health services because a single nurse will have to deliver service to many patients,” said Goma Devi Niroula, Director, Nursing and Social Security Division. 

World Health Organization in its Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 has enlisted Nepal and Bangladesh from South East Asia region. The countries listed have a UHC Service Coverage Index that is lower than 50 and a density of doctors, nurses and midwives that is below the global median (i.e. 48.6 per 10,000 population).

Countries on the list are graded which means no active recruitment is permitted from these countries. According to the UK government, if a government-to-government agreement is put in place between a partner country, which restricts UK employers, contracting bodies and agencies to the terms of the agreement, the country is added to the amber list and recruitment can happen only on the terms of the agreement. Nepal has been enlisted in the list of red and amber countries.