The number of South African nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the United Kingdom dropped by 55% between 2002 and 2005, Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Tuesday.
The number shrank from 2 114 to 933 over this period as a result of an agreement with the UK aimed at lessening the local impact of health professionals working abroad.
”We have an agreement with the UK through which health workers can work in UK hospitals and return to the public sector without loss of employment or status,” the minister told the National Assembly during debate on her department’s budget vote.
Similar agreements were being pursued with other countries hosting a significant number of South African-trained professionals, such as Canada.
”Whilst we cannot stop our health professionals from gaining experience outside the country, we also sought to work with other countries to manage this movement so that it does not impact negatively on our health system,” Tshabalala-Msimang said. — Sapa