FNF is launching a new national project to learn from our internationally educated workforce and diaspora and to look at the impacts of global collaboration
We want you to get involved!
FNF has launched a major new policy and research project exploring how the UK can better retain, develop, and learn from its internationally educated nursing and midwifery (IENM) workforce. The findings will consider how sustained, ethical, and mutually beneficial collaboration through global health partnerships can strengthen the UK workforce while supporting global health systems.
As the UK’s leading nursing and midwifery leadership development charity, FNF wants to ensure that the experience, expertise, and global insights of internationally educated nurses and midwives are recognised as vital assets to the UK health and care system. The project will focus on the role of nursing and midwifery leaders at every level in shaping inclusive workplace cultures – where internationally educated colleagues are supported to belong, contribute, and lead.
Dr Natasha North, Director of the Florence Nightingale Foundation Academy, said:
“Nursing leaders have a pivotal role in creating cultures where internationally educated nurses and midwives are not only included, but truly celebrated as part of our global workforce.
These colleagues bring rich experience, innovation, and global insight that can strengthen care for patients and communities across the UK. Through this project, we want to listen and learn directly from them, and from the leaders who are already getting this right, to understand what helps internationally educated nurses and midwives to thrive, progress into leadership, and influence improvement.
By sharing those lessons nationally and globally, we can build a stronger, more connected profession that recognises our shared future depends on valuing every nurse and midwife, wherever they began their journey.”
The solutions-focused project, titled Global Talent, Local Impact, will celebrate existing good practice, highlight success stories, and work in partnership with IENMs, employers, regulators, diaspora groups, global partnership managers and policymakers. Crucially, it will also explore how global learning and knowledge exchange can enhance workforce development, patient care, and nursing and midwifery leadership across borders.
The findings will shape evidence-based recommendations for long-term, system-wide change, with the final report due in spring 2026.
How to Get Involved
- Complete and/or Share the Survey by 28 November
If you are an internationally educated nurse or midwife working in the UK*, a leader supporting internationally educated nurses and midwives, or a leader or member of a diaspora community, take part in our national survey to share your experiences. Your insights will directly shape our recommendations. Click here to open the survey.
We want to hear from nurses and midwives from all four nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), all sectors (the NHS, social care, private providers, education, charities, and the military), and all roles and career stages (from newly arrived registrants to senior leaders and academics).
Complete the survey and enter a PRIZE DRAW to win one of the following fantastic prizes:
- One voucher worth £150, redeemable at selected stores.
- One place to attend the Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service at Westminster Abbey, London, on Tuesday 12 May 2026. Travel and accommodation costs are not included and must be arranged and covered by the winner.
Entry into the prize draw is optional and all survey responses will be anonymous
- Submit a Case Study by 28 November
We are looking for examples of effective initiatives that support IENM retention, development, and leadership progression. Selected case studies will be featured in our final report. Click here to open the submission page. (FNF Members Only)
- Join the Conversation
The final report will be published in spring 2026. Look out for upcoming roundtables, workshops, and webinars where we will discuss findings and explore solutions. Sign up to our newsletter for updates.
*For this project, we define internationally educated nurses and midwives (IENMs) as NMC registrants who obtained their initial nursing or midwifery qualification outside the UK, even if they have since studied or trained further here.
Global Talent, Local Impact is a timely and essential initiative that celebrates the phenomenal contributions of internationally educated nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals. For decades, these dedicated professionals have been the backbone of the NHS and the wider UK healthcare system, ensuring it remains responsive, resilient, and capable of meeting the ever-evolving and complex needs of our population. It is not enough to simply acknowledge their presence; we must actively listen to, engage with, and work alongside our internationally educated workforce. Nothing should be done for them without them.
The Alliance of International Nurses and Midwives Diasporas in the United Kingdom is proud to support this project. We are excited to collaborate with the Florence Nightingale Foundation and other key stakeholders to ensure that the voices, expertise, and lived experiences of internationally educated professionals are truly heard and valued”.
Ariel Landa, Chair of this project’s Steering Committee and Chair of The Alliance of International Nurses and Midwives Diasporas in the United Kingdom
