Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has won an award for its work improving the recruitment experience of international nurses at the prestigious Nursing Times Workforce Awards (Wednesday 2 December) .

The Trust beat seven other shortlisted trusts from across the country to the top spot. The awards highlight and reward innovation in nursing workforce planning and management.

Beverley Sawer, the Trust’s Recruitment Nurse, said: “I’m so pleased we’ve been recognised with this award. All we wanted to do was make sure our international nurses felt welcome and supported. We are honoured to have these nurses working with us.”

Beverley works closely with senior nurse Anne Honey, using their wealth of experience to help international nurses settle in. They work hard to place each nurse on a ward which will suit them, and work together with the nurses to help resolve any issues they may have. They also purchase food and household essentials so that when they nurses arrive they have everything they need after their long flight to the UK.

The Trust’s Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive, Kathryn Halford OBE, added; “We’ve put a huge amount of work into improving how we recruit, welcome and retain our nurses. I am so pleased that we have been recognised for our hard work."

The Trust won in the Best International Recruitment Experience category.

Pictured left to right: Alan Wishart (Deputy Director for Workforce), Kiran Nandra (Senior Communications Officer) Frieeda El-sayed (International Recruitment Advisor), Beverley Sawer (Recruitment Nurse)  Anne Honey ( Senior Intern Nurse)