Global Talent, Local Impact

Retaining excellence, developing leaders, and learning from our Internationally Educated Nursing and Midwifery workforce.

The Florence Nightingale Foundation is leading a policy and research project exploring how the UK can better retain, develop, and learn from internationally educated nurses and midwives (IENMs).

While political focus has shifted away from international recruitment, tens of thousands of IENMs already work in the UK – yet too many leave the Nursing and Midwifery Council register prematurely. We want to understand why, and develop practical, evidence-based solutions to:

• Improve retention and career progression
• Unlock leadership potential;
• Strengthen global learning and connections.

Our work will be solutions-focused, shining a light on what is already working well to support internationally educated nurses and midwives. By showcasing success stories and learning from positive experiences, we aim to co-create practical changes that make a real difference. This will be done in partnership with IENMs, employers, regulators, diaspora groups, and policymakers — ensuring that the voices and expertise of those most affected are at the heart of the project.

Who We Mean by IENMs

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.

IENMs in the UK work across:

• All four nations – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• All sectors – the NHS, social care, private providers, education, charities, and the military
• All roles and career stages – from newly arrived registrants to senior leaders and academics.

This project is designed to reflect that diversity – ensuring voices from different professions, diaspora groups, and workplace settings are heard.

Our aims:

• Retention – Understand and address the factors affecting IENM retention.
• Development – Explore how to support career growth and progression into leadership.
• Global Learning – Highlight the value of bidirectional learning and the UK’s role in developing nursing capacity worldwide.

How we are doing it

 This mixed-methods project combines research, engagement, and case study collection:

• Evidence & Policy Review – Mapping current knowledge, workforce data, and policy context.
• National Survey – Gathering experiences from IENMs across health and social care.
• Stakeholder Interviews – In-depth conversations with IENMs, workforce leaders, and policy influencers.
• Roundtables & Workshops – Engaging leaders and partners in collaborative discussions.
• Case Studies – Showcasing effective initiatives from across the UK.

Principles Guiding the Project

• Additive, not duplicative – Build on existing knowledge, not repeat it.
• Solutions-focused – Move beyond describing problems to generating practical change.
• Inclusive – Capture diverse voices, across professions, diaspora groups, and all four UK nations.
• Collaborative – Work in partnership with stakeholders at every stage.
• Strengths-based – Use an Appreciative Inquiry approach to spotlight success and imagine what’s possible.

Steering Group

The project is guided by a cross-sector Steering Group with representatives from all four UK nations, professional bodies, service providers, and IENMs.

Project Timeline (July 2025 – April 2026)

• Summer/Autumn 2025 – Project launch, literature review, and survey design.
• Autumn 2025 – Survey live, interviews, and case study submissions opened
• Winter 2025/26 – Roundtables, case study selection
• Spring 2026 – Final report publication launch