Empowering international nurses: OET supports North Central London’s IEN Fellowship Programme at Moorfields Eye Hospital

Home ...About ...NewsEmpowering international nurses: OET supports North Central London’s IEN Fellowship Programme at Moorfields Eye Hospital

Strong communication skills are essential for delivering safe, effective healthcare — and are especially important for internationally educated nurses (IENs) as they transition into senior roles or seek to grow their careers with the NHS.

Discover how OET partnered with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to support Day 2 of the North Central London IEN Fellowship Programme — focusing on Communication and Leadership.

Background to the IEN Fellowship Programme

Starting with a pilot in 2023, the North Central London IEN Fellowship Programme is a collaborative initiative within the integrated care system (ICS), to support internationally educated nurses in developing their careers to become confident and compassionate leaders.

Findings from the previous surveys showed it takes an average of 2 years for an IEN with five years’ experience to move on to a senior role — often due to lack of confidence in the application and interview process. The pilot demonstrated real impact through real-world relevance to the fellows’ clinical practice, with six participants progressing in their careers into senior positions.

Support from OET

Building on a successful first year, OET was proud to support the second cohort of this inspiring programme by delivering a session from our ‘Living the Language Workshops’ series, focusing on effective workplace communication and managing challenging conversations.

The interactive session included speaking roleplay practice and explored essential language skills for conflict resolution and de-escalation, highlighting the importance of tone of voice in building trust and maintaining professionalism.

Session feedback

Feedback from participants highlighted the benefit of having a space to speak up, as well as the usefulness of the workshop:

‘‘The tools I learnt will help me better handle difficult situations.’’

— Anonymous workshop participant, March 2025

‘‘Very helpful for my professional development journey.’’

— Anonymous workshop participant, March 2025

OET facilitator leads interactive communication workshop with internationally educated nurses during the North Central London IEN Fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital

The programme organisers also shared their thoughts on the day:

‘‘Day 2 of the programme went exceptionally well, as reflected in the participants' feedback. Throughout the day, all participants were actively engaged in each topic, and they particularly appreciated the interactive nature of the sessions. The discussions were insightful, and the activities were well-received, providing practical takeaways that the participants can apply in their roles. "

‘‘It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm and commitment from everyone involved, from the speakers to the participants, which truly highlighted the value and impact of the programme.’’ — Joanna Garretty, Education and Pastoral Care Lead at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

‘‘I highly agree with how valuable your session was and how well it was received by the delegates. I myself have learned a better and more enjoyable way of delivering 'communication' session for our learners.’’ — Joanne Paras, Clinical Lead- International Nurse Development and Retention, North Central London ICS

Key takeaways

OET were proud to collaborate with Moorfield’s Eye Hospital NHS Trust and the NCL IEN programme. The Day 2 session reinforced how vital clinical communication skills are — not only for IENs starting out in the UK, but also as they progress into senior and leadership roles. These skills are fundamental to delivering safe, effective care and supporting professional growth.

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