We live in an increasingly diverse world, and the health and care workforce comprises numerous nationalities and ethnicities. People from many different cultures, who bring rich and varied life experiences, have come to the UK to work and further their careers in health and care. Nearly one in five staff in the NHS report a non-British nationality, the vast majority of whom are from countries in the European Union, Africa or Asia.
However, international recruits to health and care do not always have a positive experience. International recruits can experience individual, organisational and societal discrimination that impacts on their ability to settle into their new home and progress in their workplace, as well as exploitation by some recruitment agencies.
To flourish at work and fulfil our potential, we all need to feel safe: that we are welcomed, respected and supported: that we belong. It means that our cultures and lived experiences are recognised, protected and valued. Cultural safety provides a framework to change professional and organisational ways of thinking to be more inclusive and in doing so, to create more effective teams and systems.