Publish date: 14 April 2022
West London NHS Trust is helping refugee nurses by finding them ‘meaningful’ employment within its services.
The Trust is involved in several programmes, teaming up with charities including Talent Beyond Boundaries and The Shaw Trust.
We are pleased to welcome three nurses from Syria and Palestine, who were based in Lebanon, to find employment at West London NHS Trust through The Trust's partnership with Talent Beyond Boundaries.
The three nurses arrived in the UK in February and have been working within the Trust's community services.
There are also plans for another five refugee nurses to join the Trust in May.
Nathan Christie-Plummer, Deputy Director of Workforce at West London NHS Trust, said: "As an Anchor institution our Trust has a responsibility to engage in supporting our community with refugees that have arrived from a number of challenging environments. whilst creating opportunities to address the challenges we face with accommodating outstanding vacancies.
"To date we have welcomed and employed three refugee nurses via Talent Beyond Boundaries from outside of the UK and have another further five refugee nurses joining our Trust who are currently based in Lebanon."
The Trust's work with Talent Beyond Boundaries launched in July last year and has helped transform the lives of the three nurses who are now working as Trust staff.
Sara works at Clayponds Hospital. She said: "When I was in Lebanon, the Trust provided me with the details I needed and explained everything to me clearly.
"When I arrived in the UK I was welcomed at the airport and taken to my accomodation.
"Since then the Trust has supported me and helped stop me from feeling homesick.
"I have catch-up meetings every day and the Trust has supported me to achieve my dream.”
Rim now works at the Trust as a general nurse at Clayponds Hospital.
She is due to sit her OSCE exam in May and if successful will be a registered RGN in the UK.
She said: "I couldn't be more grateful for west London, you saved my life, it's amazing to be part of such a considerate team and loving environment. I love London too, it's such a large and beautiful city."
Fatema also works at Clayponds Hospital. She said: "As a Palestinian refugee it was way too far to get a visa and come to the UK.
"However, the offer I was given by the West London NHS Trust opened up a lot of opportunities.
"And here I am in London fulfilling my career and getting to know new cultures as London is one of the most diverse places in the country.
"I see myself doing a masters degree in the long run and developing my career journey.
"Relocation to a totally different country would have been very hard without the constant support from the overseas recruitment team Monika, Neda and Donna.
"The catch-up sessions were so important and wouldn't have been as smooth without you. Thank you."
As well as its work with Talent Beyond Boundaries, the Trust is working on a project focusing on 'in country' refugees in collaboration with the Shaw Trust.
The aim is to create an employment pathway focused around refugees who are currently based in the UK and seeking employment.
As part of this programme the NWL Refugee Recruitment Programme has been launched to create opportunities for the Trust to engage with a large number of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and sadly now Ukraine, who are actively seeking employment within the NHS in the London area.
Carolyn Regan, CEO of West London NHS Trust, said: "As a Trust we are proud to be supporting nurses who have fled conflict to seek meaningful employment within our services.
"These nurses who hold international qualifications are filling vital roles at our sites across West London.
"The Trust is keen to develop its work with skilled refugees and help them to help us."
