TWO overseas physiotherapists have arrived at Forth Valley Royal Hospital as part of a government recruitment drive to support health services.

The duo have been recruited from India and Sri Lanka in partnership with NHS Professionals, as part of a Scottish Government initiative.

Both have worked in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait recently before arriving in "calm and peaceful" Scotland.

They have each been assigned an NHS Forth Valley college who, along with other team members, will support them as they learn all about life in the country and working within the health service.

Eileen Sharp, international recruitment lead at NHS Forth Valley, said: “We are delighted to welcome our first physiotherapists who have joined us as part of our international recruitment scheme.

“Our new colleagues are a welcome addition to our teams and this is a great opportunity for us all to learn from and with each other.”

Health board chiefs say the recruitment programme has been carried out ethically in line with the Scottish Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel – ensuring that the NHS in Scotland does not recruit from countries that suffer from staffing shortages.

Trub Trupti Milind Vedak comes over from India, having graduated in 2016 and completed a post-graduate degree in 2019.

She said: "I wanted to progress my career and learn different aspects of physiotherapy, including new technology.

“The systems here for record keeping, for example, are very different than in India.

"It is cold though," she added. "In India it’s sunny and 43°C, but here it is calm and peaceful."

The Allied Health Professions (AHP) services and the International Recruitment Team have developed a comprehensive induction and training plan for the international recruits.

Poruthotage Milan Nilendra Perera joins the health board from Sri Lanka and Kuwait.

He said: “It was my dream to be working in the UK, especially in the NHS.

“I have worked in Sri Lanka and Kuwait, where the systems are the same, but I really need to expand my knowledge and skills.

“My first impressions of Scotland are wonderful."