Post by Deborah Udy Okusaga Akanne (@deborah_udy_okusaga)

NHS Workforce Shortages By Specialty — June 2026. Where International Healthcare Professionals Are Being Actively Recruited And Where The Door Is Almost Closed.

Not all NHS shortages are equal. And not all shortages translate into interview opportunities for internationally trained healthcare professionals.

Here is the verified 2026 picture — and what it means for your applications.

Actively recruiting internationally with confirmed sponsorship across most Trusts: Radiology — critical shortage. Consultant, Specialty Doctor, and Clinical Fellow posts actively advertised nationally. Nuclear Medicine particularly undersupplied. Emergency Medicine — ongoing shortage at ST3+ and Trust Grade level. Psychiatry and CAMHS — chronic vacancy rate, active overseas recruitment. General Internal Medicine / Acute Medicine — Trust Grade SHO and Specialty Doctor posts consistently available. Geriatrics and Care of the Elderly — growing demand, less competitive. Adult Critical Care / Anaesthetics — Clinical Fellow posts advertised year-round.

For nurses — active overseas recruitment continues in: Critical Care (ICU/HDU) — Band 5 and Band 6. Theatre/Perioperative — Band 5 and Band 6. Mental Health — active NMC-registered nurse recruitment. Neonatal — ongoing shortage. District nursing and community — growing demand following NHS Long Term Plan.

For AHPs — strong demand in: Physiotherapy — MSK and community. Occupational Therapy — community and social care interface. Speech and Language Therapy — paediatric and adult. Podiatry — consistent shortage. Diagnostic Radiography — significant and growing shortage.

Where the door is harder for IMGs specifically: Primary Care / GP — restrictive licensing and training pathway requirements limit direct IMG entry. Paediatrics — more competitive at Trust Grade level; RCPCH curriculum alignment required. Orthopaedic surgery — fellowship requirements significantly narrow entry. GP practice nursing — NMC registered but primary care infrastructure varies significantly by Trust.

Knowing where the shortage is does not mean your applications become easy. It means you are applying in the right direction. Documents still have to be built correctly for the specific post.

This is what I help my clients do.

DM me "SHORTAGE" and I will tell you exactly how your specialty and profession maps to the current NHS vacancy landscape

Post 3 drops at 11:00 AM — the one thing your LinkedIn profile is telling NHS recruiters that you do not know it is saying.

#NHSWorkforce #NHSShortage #IMGDoctor #InternationalNurses e #PhysiotherapistUK #AHPsUK #NHSJobs2026 #NHSRecruitment2026 #GMCRegistered #NMCRegistration #HCPCregistered #TrustGradeSHO #ClinicalFellow #NHSBand6 #NHSBand5 #SovereignHealthcareAdvisoryGroup #NHSVacancies #HealthcareWorkerUK #NHSRadiology #NHSMentalHealth

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