Inspiring success stories from experienced care providers operating in the South East, offering valuable insights and best practices in international recruitment.
Case studies
Superior Healthcare Care Group
January 2024
Superior Healthcare Care Group has been addressing recruitment challenges in the care sector, intensified by Brexit. To attract top talent, they adopted a multifaceted approach to attract and retain talent. This not only included nurturing homegrown talent and enhancing training programs but broadening their search to include international recruitment avenues.
They took advantage of SESCA’s (South East Social Care Alliance) international recruitment grant scheme administered by their local care association Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KiCA).
Jo Rychlik, Head of HR
Summary
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Obtaining a sponsorship license took just over 8 weeks. The process was reasonably straightforward, with clear guidance available on the government website.
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The grant funding massively helped alleviate sponsorship costs.
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KiCA made the grant application process very straightforward. The entire process must have taken less than 3 days.
Top tips
- Utilize government resources for clear guidance on obtaining sponsorship licenses.
- Take advantage of financial assistance via grants to offset international recruitment costs.
- Consider offering longer contracts (e.g. three-years) to improve staff retention and client satisfaction.
“…one of the easiest, stressless and actually pleasant, application processes I have been involved in…”
Thanks to KiCA (Kent Integrated Care Association) for providing this case study.
Banbury Heights Nursing Home
February 2022
Banbury Heights Nursing Home in Oxfordshire has been recruiting overseas nurses since 2003. The Local Government Association (LGA) spoke to CEO, Charles Taylor (also Chair of the Oxfordshire Care Homes Association), about his experience of overseas recruitment.
Charles Taylor – CEO
Summary
- Since 2021, sponsored 18 senior carers over three sites, representing 12% of the workforce (150 staff in total).
- Removed dependency on agency workers and has been to the benefit of the patients, as well as the business.
- Nurse Manager is an active member of the local Indian community, which really helps new recruits to integrate into the local area.
- Existing staff buddy up with new starters and support them to settle in.
- It can be a frustrating process, which can feel slow, with unpredictable timescales. Although this has improved with the prioritised Health and Care Worker Visa process.
Top tips
- Getting the administration right is very important. The business risks of not doing so are very high, as the Home Office has the power to stop sponsorship immediately.
- Make sure you have admin staff who are trained and understand the process
- Put systems in place to ensure that the right information is being gathered.
- Keeping up to speed with immigration rules and sponsor compliance responsibilities is a continuous process.
Askham Village Community
August 2022
Askham Village Community is a family-run care provider based in Cambridgeshire, which has successfully sponsored many international workers. Skills for Care spoke to Director, Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, about becoming a sponsor, supporting newly arrived staff, and the value they bring to their workforce.
Aliyyah-Begum Nasser – Director
Summary
- Since 2021, sponsored 18 senior carers over three sites, representing 12% of the workforce (150 staff in total).
- Removed dependency on agency workers and has been to the benefit of the patients, as well as the business.
- Nurse Manager is an active member of the local Indian community, which really helps new recruits to integrate into the local area.
- Existing staff buddy up with new starters and support them to settle in.
- It can be a frustrating process, which can feel slow, with unpredictable timescales. Although this has improved with the prioritised Health and Care Worker Visa process.
Top tips
- Getting the administration right is very important. The business risks of not doing so are very high, as the Home Office has the power to stop sponsorship immediately.
- Make sure you have admin staff who are trained and understand the process
- Put systems in place to ensure that the right information is being gathered.
- Keeping up to speed with immigration rules and sponsor compliance responsibilities is a continuous process.