The Gambia is one of 54 nations listed by the United Kingdom as not being actively sought after by employers in the health and social care sector. Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, and Cameroon are among the other African nations on the list.
The UK government made this declaration in its updated code of conduct for hiring foreign healthcare and social service workers in England, which was made public on the NHS Employers’ website.
The code is applicable to the hiring of all foreign workers in the UK’s health and social care sectors, including all permanent, temporary, and locum employees working in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.
Titled: “Code of Practice red and amber list of countries,” the UK Government said the list is based upon the World Health Organisation’s Workforce Support and Safeguard List, 2023 and will be updated alongside progress reports on WHO Global Code implementation and reported to the World Health Assembly every three years.
The mentioned nations have medical staff densities that are below the worldwide median and a UHC Service Coverage Index that is lower than 50. (48.6 per 10,000 population).
According to the code, being on the list does not prevent specific members of the health and social care industry from independently submitting an application to health and social care employers in the UK for employment of their own free will and without being singled out by a third party, such as a recruitment agency or employer (known as a direct application).
The code defined active international recruitment as the method by which UK health and social care employers (including local authorities), contracting bodies, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, and subcontractors target people to market UK employment opportunities with the intention of hiring them for a position in the UK health or social care sector. Targeting can take place physically or virtually, and it can result in real employment or not.
This includes, but is not limited to, allied health professionals, care providers, dental professionals, medical professionals, medical staff, midwives, nursing professionals, residential and domiciliary care providers, social workers, and support personnel.