HEALTH

Overseas hiring spree to bail out care homes

Fears of winter crisis amid 160,000 vacancies in the sector
Health service bosses are also warning that rising energy bills risk causing a “humanitarian crisis” among the vulnerable, and the NHS is already struggling to cope
Health service bosses are also warning that rising energy bills risk causing a “humanitarian crisis” among the vulnerable, and the NHS is already struggling to cope
KARWAI TANG/GETTY IMAGES

Thousands of foreign workers will be hired for Britain’s care homes this winter under plans for a matchmaking service to plug staff shortages.

As concern mounts in government about the state of the NHS and social care, ministers are looking at bringing in foreign staff “on a mass scale”.

Steve Barclay, the health secretary, wants an overseas hiring spree in which NHS managers may also be sent to countries such as India and the Philippines to recruit thousands of nurses. He also wants to make it easier for regulators to check overseas qualifications so that staff can get to work more quickly.

There are 1.6 million staff in social care but more than 160,000 vacancies in a sector that is struggling as funding from local