Commenting on Conservative plans announced today (Friday) to create a visa for overseas staff to work in the NHS, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:
“The NHS and social care couldn’t survive without the huge contribution of staff from overseas. But hostile Tory policies have left them feeling unwanted and anxious about their futures.
“This visa plan is just window-dressing from a party that has treated overseas healthcare staff shoddily.
“The Conservatives have only promised this after being backed into a corner over their unjust income threshold for non-EU workers.
“Tory immigration rules also threaten to deprive social care of workers – this visa announcement would do nothing to end the growing crisis in the sector.
“Punitive and restrictive measures should be scrapped against overseas health and social care staff.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild T: 0207 121 5555 M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
