NHS is on the verge of complete service break down with the current surge in Covid-19 cases. Many hospitals across England have no beds available for patients waiting for acute health care. There is significant shortage of skilled health workers particularly nursing staff.
There is increased risk of deterioration in patient's health condition due to delay in access to treatment in NHS facilities. The delay will increase the likelihood of death particularly in elderly patients and patients with significant comorbidities.
The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Health Minister, Matt Hancock are busy promoting the Covid-19 vaccination program across the UK increasing the hopes of British people for return to normal life by Easter in 2021. On the other hand the NHS England medical director, Stephen Powis issued a stern warning to all British people against partying as large groups together for this New Years eve.
The NHS hospitals may need to reinforce their skilled workforce by emergency recruitment of skilled healthcare workers from countries like India and Sri Lanka as well as Caribbean nations to effectively deal with the ever increasing demand for Covid-19 hospitalizations.
There are thousands of fully qualified and highly skilled Medical staff including nurses and allied healthcare workers ready to move to UK and assist the NHS in effectively providing acute inpatient healthcare to increasing number of Covid-19 patients requiring hospitalization.
The readily available doctors and nurses from South India should be immediately employed as a part of emergency recruitment drive by NHS. These skilled workers should be relocated to UK and be granted priority general registration with General Medical Council which will allow them to commence their work immediately. The UK government should ensure that these health care workers also have a pre arrival negative Covid-19 screening result before they can commence their services in NHS hospitals.
The access to highly qualified and skilled healthcare workforce from India should help NHS hospitals to deal with Covid-19 pandemic effectively until the vaccination program is completed successfully across the UK.
