Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to retain EU nationals working in the NHS.

The Government hugely values the contribution of all the EU27 nationals working in the National Health Service. The Prime Minister has publicly reassured all European Union citizens who have chosen to make their homes and livelihoods in the United Kingdom, that she wants them to stay. Furthermore, the agreement announced on 8 December 2017 between the UK and the EU Commission safeguarded the rights of people who have built their lives in the UK and EU, following the UK’s exit from the EU. NHS Improvement is leading a programme of work to improve staff retention in trusts across England.

The latest figures from NHS Digital show that there were almost 3,300 more EU nationals - including almost 500 more doctors - working in the NHS in September 2017 than before the referendum result.