International Recruitment of Health Workers to the UK: A Report for DFID: Final Report

Whilst the issue of international migration of health workers is sometimes presented as a one-way linear ‘brain drain,’ the dynamics of international mobility, migration and recruitment of health workers are complex. Against this complex backdrop, the main objectives of this paper, drawing from the terms of reference, are: to examine trends in the inflow of health workers to the UK; to examine the methods used in the international recruitment of health workers to the UK; to report on the Department of Health Code of Practice; to provide case studies in the impact of outflow of health workers from developed countries (Ghana and Barbados); and to discuss the international policy context of health workers recruitment and migration and identify current knowledge gaps for future research. [author’s description]