Stone slams Tories for 'shameful' nurse tax
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Jamie Stone has slammed Conservative Party plans to introduce a nurse tax on European Union workers.
Mr Stone, who is campaigning to retain his far north seat for the Liberal Democrats, said that the Tory policy revealed "the major threat Brexit poses to our NHS".
The nurse tax, which goes under the official name of the Health Immigration Surcharge, currently applies to non-EU citizens working in the UK for the NHS.
However, once Brexit takes place and the UK leaves the EU, those employed by the NHS who are from EU nations will fall into the boundaries of the tax.
This would mean an EU nurse will now have to pay £1089 to work in the NHS for the first year and £3589 for five years.
Figures published by the Liberal Democrats reveal that over 3250 NHS staff from the EU have left the health service so far this year, including 1116 nurses.
The Conservatives’ treatment of NHS nurses and doctors from the EU has been utterly shameful.
The data, based on responses to Freedom of Information requests from 50 NHS hospital trusts, reveals that more than 11,600 NHS staff from the EU – including 4783 nurses – have left the health service since the Brexit vote of 2016.
Mr Stone said: "These figures reveal the major threat Brexit poses to our NHS.
"The Conservatives’ treatment of NHS nurses and doctors from the EU has been utterly shameful.
"Many EU citizens fill vital roles in the health service in the most rural areas, including the far north.
"We need to make sure that EU citizens are made to feel welcome in the UK but, because of Brexit, EU health workers are leaving in their thousands.
"The hostile environment the Conservatives have created for EU citizens working in the NHS is disgraceful. These people work incredibly hard to care for us.
"The Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit to protect our NHS and we want to make it clear to staff from the EU that they are valued and welcome here."
