Meet Our International Recruitment Ambassadors!

The West Midlands Imaging Network is committed to fostering international recruitment efforts to strengthen our healthcare workforce and provide the best possible care to our communities. We are proud to showcase the various initiatives undertaken by our Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) within the Black Country and West Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, Birmingham and Solihull, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin, as well as Staffordshire and Stoke.

Within our network, we are proud to have two passionate International Recruitment Ambassadors who are eager to assist with any international recruitment inquiries or requests for support. Feel free to get in touch with Maria – maria.reynolds@uhb.nhs.uk at UHB or Sharon Dhadda- sharondhadda@nhs.net at RWT for more details and assistance.

**Black Country ICB**

The Black Country ICB has adopted a comprehensive International Recruitment model,- one of their Trusts- Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust have a dedicated Radiology Workforce Lead who specifically focusses on the radiology workforce and international recruitment. Additionally, the ICB has secured 12-month funding for an AHP Pastoral Care Coordinator, who works closely with an International Workforce team and is also based at RWT. This team leader strengthens the connections between the ICB and other regional providers while providing crucial support to practice educators. Their primary goal is to create parity in relocation costs between various trusts within the ICB. Black Country ICB firmly believes in the value of specialised roles that focus on workforce and international recruitment.

**Coventry and Warwickshire ICB**

While Coventry and Warwickshire have not recently bid for the CDC international recruitment offer, but they have actively participated in previous initiatives for diagnostic radiography international recruitment. C&W ICB have witnessed some success with this approach, particularly through direct recruitment where individuals apply via NHS Jobs/Trac. Moreover, they boast a well-established international recruitment program for nursing. Nursing IR leads have collaborated closely with AHP leads to provide invaluable expertise and support, particularly in the pastoral care aspect to provide support to other AHPs including radiographers and other imaging staff.

**Birmingham and Solihull ICB**

Birmingham and Solihull ICB operates an International Hub that is dedicated to supporting nurses, midwives and AHPs‘ integration among international recruits. With an agency onboard to assist with legalities, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) ensures local inductions within teams and offers dedicated Trust recruitment support for international recruitment. For more information on international recruitment resources from UHB, please visit their website. BSol have a standardised approach to the international recruitment package and pastoral support and UHB boast a suite of materials and resources that are specifically aimed at improving the arrival of new staff from abroad.

**Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB**

Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB complements bespoke recruitment efforts within each trust, focusing on both domestic and international recruitment. Their ICB People and Workforce team is committed to facilitating a system-wide international recruitment approach to enhance efficiency across the recruitment teams and provide newcomers with an exceptional pastoral experience. Furthermore, they have introduced regular system-wide recruitment fairs to showcase the vast range of roles within our system. This innovative approach extends to outreach efforts in schools and local universities, utilising digital means to reach “new to care” groups. H&W ICB are also developing a suite of marketing materials and a website to further facilitate this process.

**Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB**

Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB have primarily focused on international recruitment for nurses and have achieved early success. The ICB has established a health and social care apprenticeship scheme with support from system partners, as well as recruited international nurses through the Global Learners Programme. They have also introduced a Shropshire Physician Associate Internship Programme in collaboration with acute and primary care providers. Recognising the importance of centralising recruitment planning and management, ST&W are actively working on developing a collaborative bank and exploring opportunities for shared HR services. Their commitment to innovation extends to a system-wide approach to apprenticeship levy sharing. Additionally, they are working collaboratively to expand clinical placement capacity across the system, facilitated by a shared portal and support from Trust-based Clinical Placement Facilitators.

We are eagerly awaiting updates on the progress of international recruitment in imaging within the region.

**Staffordshire and Stoke ICB**

While Staffordshire and Stoke ICB have not yet shared their specific plans for international recruitment, we acknowledge the presence of multiple funded roles dedicated to supporting these efforts within the system. For more detailed operational plans, please refer to the provided link.

The West Midlands Imaging Network remains dedicated to enhancing international recruitment initiatives across our region. We believe that these collaborative efforts will contribute to the growth and prosperity of our healthcare workforce, ultimately benefiting our patients and communities. We look forward to the continued success of these endeavours.