As a not-for-profit social care provider, The Orders of St John Care Trust has people, not profit, at its heart, whether those people are residents living in our homes and schemes, or those caring for them.

A skilled, diverse and valued workforce is essential in responding to the growing and increasingly complex needs of residents and to delivering the safe, high-quality care the Trust prides itself on.  In the past 15 months, OSJCT has made a significant investment in international recruitment, with 90 nurses and carers from overseas now working in our homes to date, and 4 others due to arrive in the very near future.  In addition, in the past 12 months, 116 colleagues originally from overseas and who were already working in the UK, have been offered sponsorship to provide stability and security for both the Trust and those individuals. In total, the Trust currently employs 223 sponsored employees.

Holly Kent, Recruitment Lead at OSJCT explains: “There is a national shortage of nurses and carers in health and social care, so international recruitment helps us support our residents by recruiting individuals who are passionate and committed to providing care that is focused on individuals’ needs and are looking to progress their careers in the UK.” 

Holly continues, “International employees move across the world to work for us so we are invested in their wellbeing from the very start.  We work closely with a specialist international recruitment agency to find carers and nurses, meeting each candidate virtually and considering their requirements and preferences in placing them in a role. Successful international recruits are offered an induction and training programme relevant to their role, and both the Trust’s project team and our agency provide ongoing care and support, for example helping them to find suitable rental accommodation.”

Maricar Padaguan, a nurse originally from the Philippines and now working at OSJCT Grevill House in Gloucestershire, shares her experience of joining the Trust: “I applied to OSJCT’s international recruitment scheme, and everything fell into place. The Trust offers a good relocation package, benefits and training. It is important to me that the organisation has a clear mission and values, and I can see those values in the support and kindness I’ve experienced working here.  Everyone I’ve worked with is very kind and understanding. It hasn’t been hard to adjust to new ways of working.” Read more about Maricar – pictured above with resident Barbara Carpenter – and her journey into her role at Grevill House here.

Holly adds: “We recognise and highly value the contribution our international colleagues make to our teams and our residents.  We are all really proud of how individuals like Maricar have embraced working with us and are settling in the UK.  I am also really proud of our teams who have so warmly welcomed new colleagues from abroad and are supporting them to achieve their full potential.”

If you are a nurse or carer outside of the UK and are interested in working for the Trust, please visit www.mmarecruitment.com.  If you are an international nurse or carer already based in the UK, and have a sponsorship enquiry, visit www.osjct.co.uk/careers.