Sinabi ni British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils na may “phenomenal” reputation sa mga Briton ang mga Pinoy nurses at iba pang health workers dahil sa kanilang pagmamalasakit sa pasyente.
Nang mapag-usapan ang Pinoy health workers sa UK sa nakaraang panayam ng GMA News Online kay Beaufils, binanggit mismo ng embahador ang salitang "malasakit" kaya umano natatangi ang mga Pinoy health workers para sa kaniyang mga kababayan.
"Yes, because of the malasakit,” tugon ng embahador nang tanungin kung in demand pa rin ba ang mga Pinoy nurses sa UK.
“The number of anecdotal stories that I’ve heard is just phenomenal. Everyone has a story about how a family member has been looked after by a Filipino nurse, and that is just wonderful. Really wonderful,” ani Beaufils.
“That’s why the Philippines has a great reputation in the UK,” dugtong pa niya.
Marami umanong magagandang kuwento na naririnig si Beaufils tungkol sa kung papaano mag-alaga at magtrabaho ang mga Filipino health worker sa UK.
“It’s interesting the number of people who have spoken to me and said, ‘Oh, my dad is in the hospital, and, you know, in x part of England, a Filipino nurse was looking after him, and then my auntie was in the hospital, and a Filipino nurse was looking after her, and everyone has a story to tell about how Filipino nurses or doctors show such care and concern and kindness,” patuloy ng UK envoy sa Pilipinas.
Ayon kay Beaufils, pangalawa sa India ang mga Pinoy sa pinakamaraming expatriate health workers sa UK.
“In terms of foreign healthcare workers in the UK, India and the Philippines are pretty much neck-and-neck," saad niya. "So, I think the Philippines is just behind India, but it’s very close.”
Nasa halos 19,000 Filipino umano ang nagsisilbi sa public health system ng UK, bilang medical professionals, katulad ng mga nurse at iba pang allied health professionals, o bilang support staff.
Sa kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemic, pinuri ng UK government ang mga Filipino nurse sa Britain dahil sa kanilang malaking kontribusyon sa health care system ng bansa at pagsagip sa kanilang mga kababayan.
Ang Pinoy nurse na si May Parsons ang unang nagturok ng COVID-19 vaccine, bilang kinatawan ng UK National Health Service (NHS). Tumanggap pa siya ng George Cross award mula sa namayapang si Queen Elizabeth II noong July 2022.
Ang George Cross ang pinakamataas na pagkilala na ibinibigay ng UK sa mga sibilyan.
“We really celebrate their malasakit, their professionalism, their kindness, and their quality of care,” sabi ni Beaufils.
Nakasaad umano sa nilagdaang memorandum of agreement noong 2021 ang pagtitiyak na mabibigyan ng sapat na proteksiyon ang Filipino healthcare workers sa UK.
“It's a community that we celebrate and that we look after to make sure that they are happy and prospering in the UK,” anang opisyal. —FRJ, GMA Integrated News
