Oxford NHS trust first to welcome Kenyan nurses

The 13 nurses have been recruited by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Oxfordshire hospitals have become the first in the UK to welcome Kenyan nurses as part of an agreement between the British and Kenyan governments.

Twelve nurses have joined the team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, while one is set to work at the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

The move is part of a deal signed by the two governments in 2021.

It aims to address the pressures faced by the NHS and provide employment opportunities for Kenyan residents.

Sam Foster, chief nursing officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the new recruits would enhance diversity, introduce new ideas and boost the nursing workforce.

"We have so much to learn from each other and they will help us deliver compassionate excellence to our patients," she added.

Julia Mbuthia was one of the first to be recruited

Julia Mbuthia, from Murang'a, a town 50 miles from Kenya's capital city Nairobi, is among the 13 new nurses being recruited.

She said colleagues and the Kenyan community in Oxford helped them settle in.

"I am grateful to be among the first chosen to serve through the bilateral agreement and change the course of healthcare for generations to come," she said.

The trust said it welcomed 1,000 international nurses, recruited from locations including India, the Caribbean, and the United States, since the end of 2017.