The UK has placed Sierra Leone, along with several other African and Asian countries, on a red list of nations that will not be actively targeted for recruitment in health and social care. This list is comprised of 54 countries that are facing critical health workforce shortages, as highlighted by the World Health Organisation's 2023 Workforce Support and Safeguard List. The UK's decision to not actively pursue recruitment from these countries is in line with the Code of Practice for International Recruitment, which prohibits the targeting of health and care professionals from developing countries.
The countries on the red list have a UHC Service Coverage Index of less than 50 and a density of doctors, nurses, and midwives below the global median. The UK's revised code of practice applies to all international health and social care personnel appointments in the UK, including permanent, temporary, and locum staff in clinical and non-clinical settings.
While being on the red list means health and social care organizations in England will not actively recruit from these countries, it does not prevent individual health and social care personnel from independently applying for employment in the UK. The red list includes countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and many others.