When HMT Empire Windrush arrived on the shores of Tilbury Docks in 1948, over a thousand migrants, mostly of Caribbean descent, answered the call from a government and an NHS unable to fill posts in the aftermath of World War 2.
Today, there are well over 200 nationalities working in the NHS, with one in four of the entire workforce coming from overseas. When you include those who came as migrants but have since acquired British citizenship, the figure is higher still. Migration is part of the very DNA of our health service and social care services.
Maybe so, but we have to also face the fact that the modern influx of black and brown faces is a very, very different beast to that long-ago migration.
No longer are we importing former colonial subjects, inculcated with the 'British way of doing things', able to speak clear English and with a work ethic that made them valuable. Things their descendents sadly often appear not to have inherited.
No, the modern influx is often of those with little to no work ethic at all, from cultures that hate us or our freedoms, and who are little more than fifth columnists.
I have had the privilege of working with some amazing nurses during my career — including those who have trained all over the world. What unites nursing staff, whether British born or from across the globe, is care of the patient and a commitment to public service.
Maybe ask us 'customers' if we agree, eh?
As Chief Nurse at King’s College Hospital, one of the largest hospital trusts in London, I saw selflessness and bravery every day.
In truth, our health and care services wouldn’t have survived the pandemic without our international colleagues.
Strange how no-one feels the same for the farmers, power station workers, highway maintenance men and shop workers, who surely are equally as deserving and actually worked to keep the nation running, the lights on and food on the shelves, while the NHS was manning empty hospitals, a fact even BBC Verify knows they can't challenge.
For me, two things are true at the same time. We must welcome, treasure and respect our migrant nursing staff. We also need our government to recognise the value of nursing by investing to make it a more attractive career for young people from the UK.
We must, must we? No.
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