healthcare.wurk.net

South Africa is not happy about losing healthcare workers to other countries. The headline of one article says it all: UK still poaching SA healthcare staff. Of all countries, the United Kingdom hosts the largest number of South African healthcare professionals.

Although the UK has an agreement with South Africa not to recruit healthcare workers for the national public service, private agencies are still allowed to “troll” academic hospitals for staff. Other countries which recruit from South Africa include:

• USA
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• United Arab Emirates

South African nurse and national private hospital co-ordinator, Christine Zondagh said:

Public Service International (PSI) strongly supports and believes in the freedom of workers to go where they chose, but workers need to be educated about the negative aspects around migration. For that purpose a pre-departure orientation package is being developed.

In South Africa, hospitals and other healthcare organizations have faced downsizing. And to fill the gap, doctors have had to work as nurses and registered nurses as auxiliary nurses. PSI suggests that countries which “poach” staff compensate by funding the training of healthcare professionals in South Africa.

An international healthcare riot may be at hand if organizations like PSI can make enough noise. Each country needs to address their own healthcare staffing needs by figuring out what it takes to train enough of their own people and creating a work environment that makes them want to stay.