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Pastoral care case study: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Pastoral care case study: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) implemented interventions designed to meet the pastoral care needs of their internationally educated workforce (IEW).

ESNEFT provides hospital and community health care services for Colchester, Ipswich and local areas. Formed in 2018, ESNEFT is the largest NHS organisation in the East of England, providing care to almost one million people and employing over 12,000 staff. Since 2018, the trust has recruited 741 internationally educated nurses (IENs).

ESNEFT has developed a comprehensive package of pastoral care, encompassing both practical and emotional support for its IEW. Interventions have been developed to support them to settle into their new lives and communities as well as adjust to their new work environment and role. Some examples of this support include:

  • Welcoming all new IEW staff face-to-face.
  • Delivering bedding and groceries to the employee's accommodation.
  • Hosting a welcome afternoon tea for new cohorts of the IEW.
  • Providing familiarisation tours around the city centre.
  • Ensuring connection between new IEW staff with established IENs who act as 'foster parents'.
  • Helping new IEW staff to set up bank accounts.
  • Ensuring provision of a UK sim card so they can contact family and friends.
  • Providing access to a training programme as part of preparation for through the objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE examinations), as well as individual support.
  • Facilitating additional study time and support on the wards.
  • Holding reflection sessions for new IEW staff to share concerns and celebrate progress.

Increased pastoral support has resulted in improved OSCE pass rates for their IEW. This has subsequently led to improved staff engagement and wellbeing, resulting in an overall reduction of the attrition rate from 13.9% to 8.7%.

NHS England launched the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award in March 2022 as an accreditation framework, recognising the need for greater consistency in the support provided to IENs and international midwives. Trusts are assessed against a set of standards for evidence-based practice. ESNEFT was the first trust in the East of England to be awarded the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award by NHS England in August 2022.

Hear from the trust

The Race Equality programme spoke to Debbie O'Hara, deputy director of people and organisational development at ESNEFT, about implementation of these interventions, their impact, learning for the board, and advice for board members looking to support their IEW.

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