Strengthening workforce collaboration: Learning from West Midlands International Recruitment Programme

Background: Health and care services are a people business and workforce challenges are a major barrier in many countries to embedding integrated care developments (Partners in Care & Health, 2025; European Commission, 2025). Adult social care in England faces significant workforce challenges impacted by the pandemic and changing immigration policies. West Midlands International Recruitment (IR) programme aim was to grow workforce capacity and enhance skills through a collaborative, ethical, and innovative international workforce support model.

 

Approach: Using Double Diamond design methodology (Design Council, 2007), a region-wide, multi-layered IR support model was developed by West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS) in collaboration with care associations, local authorities, workforce experts, and digital developers. Regional infrastructure included an IR Hub, an AI-driven self-service/support platform, and a digital job-matching service. Local authorities partnered with Citizens Advice, faith groups, and third-sector organisations to deliver support and community integration. Evaluation was embedded to facilitate testing of solutions at small scale, to develop connections and create an agile response to changing policy.

 

Results: The model was evaluated between April- July 2025. Data was collected in bi-monthly interviews with partners, and interviews with international care workers. Small scale pilots of support for international recruits were described as case studies.

The region created a model at scale to identify and support over 4000 international care workers. Understanding people’s needs was important and triage and assessment points were created to identify people’s needs and signpost accordingly.

 

The regional IR hub was accessed by >9000 unique users. The region facilitated 3,505 requests for support and placed 273 displaced international care workers into employment.

The AI-driven self-support platform supported >1000 users, and the AI-job matching platform supported 3,266 users.

360 care providers attended training webinars, and 544 care providers registered for ongoing support.

284 care providers expressed an interest in recruiting displaced international care workers, with 178 care providers registered with the job-matching service.

Case studies included a regional safeguarding directory, cultural awareness training, peer to peer support for care managers, a Citizens Advice Bureau IR support toolkit, buddying service for care providers, joint training curriculum, and community support offers with local organisations.

 

Implications: The West Midlands IR model demonstrates the value of collaboration to create a scalable approach for strengthening recruitment and retention, building diversity, capacity and skills. Key lessons include leadership to encourage innovation, community partnerships to inspire and understand the needs of the sector, digital innovation to increase reach, and ethical standards that strengthen care. The model has potential learning for other sectors and countries facing workforce challenges.

 

References: Design Council (2007, January 20). Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands: A study of the design process . Retrieved 2025, from https://www.designcouncil.org.uk

European Commission (2025). EU social partners commit to tackle workforce challenges in social services . Retrieved 2025, from https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news

Partners in Care & Health. (2025, June 05). Integrated workforce thinking practical solutions to support integrated care systems. UK: Local Government Association. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.local.gov.uk/publications