As Britain’s general election approaches on Thursday, the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) faces scrutiny due to its heavy reliance on migrant workers.
Politicians from the governing right-wing Conservatives and the main opposition centre-left Labour Party, which is predicted to win, have vowed to address immigration issues while aiming to protect the NHS.
The Conservatives propose raising the minimum salary for skilled-worker visas to reduce record migration levels, but critics argue this could hinder NHS recruitment.
Labour plans to recruit and train more UK staff, blaming 14 years of Tory governance for financial neglect and over-reliance on overseas workers.
The debate intensified after Brexit advocate Nigel Farage took charge of Reform UK, a hard-right minority party advocating for a complete immigration freeze.
However, foreign workers remain essential to the NHS, which provides universal healthcare but has struggled with strikes over pay.
Experts warn that limiting the influx of health workers could harm the NHS. A London museum exhibition, “Heart of the Nation,” highlights the critical contributions of migrant workers since the NHS’s inception in 1948.
Matthew Plowright, communications director at the Migration Museum, emphasized the NHS’s long-standing need for international staff. Today, about 1.2 million full-time NHS employees in England include a significant portion of non-British workers, with Indian, Filipino, and Nigerian nationals being the most common.
Martyn Campbell from the Royal College of Nursing highlighted the UK’s heavy reliance on international nursing recruitment. Naomi Fulop from University College London added that the UK healthcare sector is experiencing a widespread labor crisis.
