Skip to main content
Hello! We use cookies to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. Find out more.

To: Home Secretary - The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP

URGENT ACTION: Save Poole Hospital NHS staff from deportation

03/10/18- Exciting news!
It's just been announced that Paul Ermitano and his wife Jamila have been granted visas to stay in Britain.

The couple were called by the Home Office on Wednesday morning and were told their case had been reconsidered and that they had been granted visas until June 2020.

Mr Ermitano, 31, said "thank you was not enough" to say to all those who had helped him.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilydugan/a-cardiac-expert-and-a-nurse-who-were-facing-deportation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45735853

Please grant a Visa extension to allow Paul Ermitano to keep working at Poole Hospital and his wife Jamila to have their baby safely under NHS care.

Why is this important?

Paul Ermitano, a highly respected cardiac physiologist and his wife Jamila, an experienced nurse, are Filipino citizens who gave up their careers overseas and came to Poole over 3 years ago to tackle staff shortages in our NHS.

The Home Office are refusing to grant the family an extension on their visa stopping Paul carrying out the vital, life-saving heart scans that he is trained to do. They’ve been ordered to leave the country immediately.

This decision has come about because they briefly accepted child benefit for their son. They've paid it back in full. The family have no means to support themselves financially and Jamila is due to give birth to their second child in 3 months time.

Our new Health Secretary the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP has put NHS workforce and efficiency at the top of his agenda. Therefore it defies common sense and decency that resources are being spent on ejecting these lovely and useful people. Home Secretary Sajid Javid should extend the stay of this family so they can safeguard the delivery of their unborn baby and continue their vital work for our NHS.
Poole BH15 2JB

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2018-10-03 23:10:33 +0100

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS! - (and one more favour)

We are grateful to the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP and his Home Office for listening and allowing Paul and his family to stay in the UK. We are also eternally grateful to our 7000+ amazing supporters who made this happy ending possible. Paul is now busy buying back his furniture so he can sit down and get his head around what you have all just done for his family!

Please can I ask you to continue your support by signing a separate petition set up on the parliamentary website by Sophia John asking to put Cardiac physiologists back on the National Shortage Occupations List and help us recruit talented individuals like Paul to our struggling NHS departments.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/221656

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16957498.poole-hospital-medic-paul-ermitano-and-his-family-can-stay-in-the-uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45735853

2018-10-03 15:26:58 +0100

Petition is successful with 6,670 signatures

2018-10-02 21:47:05 +0100

Dear friends

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and useful feedback about the ongoing petition to save Paul and his family from having to leave the UK. The campaign has certainly taken off in the public eye thanks to the media attention attracted and I thank all of those who have given us coverage. We are also grateful to our local conservative MP Sir Robert Syms for progressing our message to central government and to the Home Office who have listened to our request and are in the process of looking at their case again.

Clearly this is an issue that brings people together and we await to hear for a sensible outcome.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45718040

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16954037.poole-hospitals-paul-ermitano-told-to-return-to-philippines/

2018-10-02 20:51:29 +0100

5,000 signatures reached

2018-10-01 21:07:57 +0100

This is incredible! - This desperate situation has reached people on a such a level that it has lead to overwhelming support and press coverage. I am truly grateful for all the support everyone has shown the family both directly and via this petition. You are all incredible!
It looks as though their may be hope on the horizon for Paul and his family. Please see link below to an article written by Emily Dugan from BuzzFeed News for which I am very grateful. The Bournemouth Echo have also been in touch so expect to see an article on this tomorrow. The petition continues to grow at just under 1800 signatures now. I am keeping it going for more people to sign until an outcome is secure so please keep sharing and I will keep you all updated. - Best Wishes, Ben N

https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilydugan/a-cardiac-expert-and-a-nurse-needed-by-the-nhs-are-facing?bftwuk&utm_term=4ldqpgm

2018-10-01 05:57:49 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2018-09-30 20:55:11 +0100

500 signatures reached

2018-09-30 18:18:31 +0100

100 signatures reached

2018-09-30 17:57:53 +0100

50 signatures reached

2018-09-30 17:42:39 +0100

25 signatures reached

2018-09-30 17:24:58 +0100

10 signatures reached