Hundreds of nurses and doctors will be coming to Wales under a new agreement between the Welsh Government and the Kerala Government.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan signed an agreement with the Government of Kerala to bring qualified healthcare professionals from India to work in NHS Wales.

During her visit to Kerala, the Health Minister Eluned Morgan met with some of the nursing and medical professionals, and their families, who will soon be taking up roles in Wales at a reception to thank them and celebrate their contribution to NHS Wales.

One of the newest cohort, Sharoon Kolickatharayil Nowshad said that “moving to Wales as a nurse offers me the chance to reunite with my uncles and family who have lived in Wales and worked in the NHS for 20 years.”

“I know when I arrive, I’ll be able to settle in and progress in my career,” she added.

The Welsh Government said that ethical international recruitment is a “key part of NHS Wales’s workforce implementation plan” and last year over 400 internationally educated nurses were recruited from overseas.

A further cohort of internationally educated nurses as well as medical staff will be recruited this year alongside a £5 million programme to support targeted recruitment including further ethical international recruitment.

“Alongside significant investment to increase homegrown supply of nurses and other healthcare professionals, recruiting internationally helps to close the vacancy gap in the short and medium term.,” the Welsh Government said.

Eluned Morgan said: “Despite record number of nurses and other healthcare professionals in NHS Wales, the demand for health care workers globally has significantly increased.

“International recruitment, alongside our investment and commitment to home grown healthcare staff, is one of the ways we can fill the workforce gaps and rely less on agency staff.

“Kerala has a long history of training health care professionals and supporting them to come to Wales.

“I have seen first-hand the tremendous impact these dedicated nurses, doctors and other health care staff have had on our health care services and it was an honour to meet some of Wales’ future workforce as they prepare to come to Wales.”