In view of opportunities for the employment of Filipino nurses to the UK, deployment guidelines are prescribed as follows:

I.          Qualification Requirements

1.         Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) registered Filipino nurses may qualify for deployment as registered nurse in hospitals and nursing homes in the UK.

2.         Only hospitals and nursing homes authorized to conduct supervised training shall be allowed to recruit Filipino nurses.

II.          Accreditation of Principals

1.         Government and private medical institutions (hospitals, nursing homes and other similar institutions) and licensed placement organizations in the UK recruiting Filipino nurses for the said country must undergo the accreditation system.

2.         The principal shall submit the following documentary requirements for accreditation with a licensed recruitment agency in the Philippines:

2.1    Government and Private hospitals/nursing homes and other similar institutions

a.      Special Power of Attorney in favor of the Philippine agency duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO);

b.      Manpower request of the hospital/nursing home stipulating the position of adaptation nurse during the adaptation period and registered nurse upon UKCC registration, volume of requirements, salary (during and after the adaptation period) and specialization requirements, duly authenticated and verified by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO);

c.       Master employment contract, signed by the authorized representative of the hospital/nursing home, and duly authenticated and verified by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) stipulating the following basic provisions:

*           Position of adaptation nurse during the adaptation period/supervised practice and registered nurse upon UKCC registration;

*           Basic salary of not lower than 11,000 per annum during the adaptation period/supervised practice and immediately adjusted to salary Grade D or above upon UKCC registration.

*           Payment of nurses' airfares to and from the UK by the employer. Cost of ticket should not be subject to refund by the nurses.

*           Repatriation of nurses' remains and property to point of origin, in case of death, at the foreign principal's expense.

*           Just causes for termination.

*           Applicability of UK laws in the implementation of the employment contract, especially in the resolution of any disputes;

d.      Proof of approval to conduct supervised training.

e.      Business license/registration/articles of incorporation or equivalent document which need not be authenticated/verified.

2.2       Employment service providers/placement organization in the UK shall submit the following documentary requirements:

a.      Special Power of Attorney in favor of the Philippine agency duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy, with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

b.      Manpower request of the employment service provider/placement organization stipulating the position of adaptation nurse during the adaptation period and registered nurse upon UKCC registration, volume of requirements, salary (during and after the adaptation period) and specialization requirements, duly authenticated and verified by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO). In support of the manpower request, the job order of the client hospital/nursing home issued to the employment service provider/placement organization should be appended to the above cited document;

c.       Master Employment Contract of the client hospital/nursing homes, etc. signed by the authorized representative of the hospital/nursing home, and duly authenticated and verified by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO), stipulating the basic provisions cited in item 2.1.c.

d.      Business license/registration/articles of incorporation or equivalent document which need not be authenticated/verified.

III.        Transfer of Accreditation

The following are the requirements for transfer of accreditation:

a.      Revocation by the principal of the Special Power of Attorney granted to the former agent using the prescribed form under Memorandum Circular No. 17, series of 1998;

b.      Notice of the principal to the previous agent of such revocation;

c.       Application of the new Philippine agent for the transfer of accreditation; and

d.      Affidavit of assumption of responsibility by the transferee Philippine agent.

IV.       Dual Accreditation

As a general policy, a new principal shall be accredited to only one agency. However, accreditation to a second agent may be allowed under any of the following conditions:

a.      There is an urgent deployment of 200 or more nurses. The manpower request must be duly verified by an appropriate official of the Philippine embassy;

b.      Recruitment of highly specialized categories. In such case, the principal shall advise the Administration of the particular positions required.

V.        Renewal of Accreditation and Additional Job Order

Approval of requests for renewal of accreditation and additional job order of principals shall be subject to these guidelines.

VI.       Pre-employment Briefing

Pre-employment briefing of nurse-applicants by the principals or their local licensed agency must include specific market information in addition to the prescribed mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar.

VII.      Advertisements

Advertisements for manpower pooling of nurses for employment in UK shall be allowed upon submission by the local agency of the manpower request of its prospective principal, authenticated and verified by the Philippine embassy and with prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO);

VIII.     Requirements for Contract Processing

1.         Request For Processing;

2.         Individual employment contract based on the approved Master Employment Contract;

3.         Work permit/entry visa

IX.       Name Hiring

Processing of Filipino nurses hired without the assistance of recruitment agencies shall be allowed provided that:

1.         The employment contract stipulating the basic provisions cited in item 2.1.c and business license/registration of the employer shall be authenticated and verified by the Philippine Embassy after prior notarization by a Commissioner of Oaths in the UK and legalization by the FCO.

2.         The employer can show proof of approval to conduct supervised training;

3.         The Administration may allow limited name-hiring on an initial deployment.

X.        On-site Monitoring

Principals and/or employment service providers/placement organizations shall inform the Philippine embassy in UK of the nurses' arrival. They shall always provide the Embassy the opportunity to visit the Filipino nurses at the start of their adaptation period, and regularly thereafter.

This circular takes effect fifteen (15) days after publication.

Adopted: 08 May 2000

(SGD.) REYNALDO A. REGALADO
Administrator