The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) has achieved the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award that supports high-quality pastoral care to internationally recruited nurses and midwives.
Launched in 2022, the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award is a scheme that aims to standardise the quality and delivery of pastoral care for internationally educated nurses and midwives. It’s also an opportunity to recognise NHS trusts’ hard work in international recruitment and to demonstrate their commitment to staff wellbeing.
To achieve the award, hospital trusts are required to meet a set of standards for best practice pastoral care that have been co-developed with regional and trust international recruitment leads and international nursing and midwifery associations. Hospital trusts that achieve the award are then reassessed every two years.
Sharon McNally, chief nurse and deputy chief executive at PAHT, said: “We are delighted to have achieved this award in recognition of providing internationally educated nurses and midwives with access to appropriate and tailored support at every stage of their recruitment and beyond.
“The safe arrival, induction, and provision of support for new people joining the NHS, especially from overseas, is our absolute priority – the wellbeing of our people ultimately results in positive experiences for our patients too.
“To support our new colleagues from overseas, we have a range of information available, from the recruitment journey process, through to training and supporting those who are undertaking their objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), which is a competency required for nursing and midwifery registration in the UK, as well as mentoring schemes and social events.
“We are proud of our diverse workforce and our internationally recruited colleagues are an integral part of our team. Thank you to all involved with offering this great package to our new starters.”