A new approach to local recruitment
Organisation: North East London Foundation Trust, Basildon and Brentwood, Essex
Populations served: Basildon, Wickford, Brentwood and Billericay
Like many health care organisations, North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) faced a number of significant recruitment and workforce challenges, including large gaps in their community teams. They knew that they needed to do something differently to address these workforce gaps, while also doing more to attract, recruit and retain local residents to the Trust.
In 2023, NELFT embarked on a project to test out a new way of recruiting local people, through adapting their communication approach, application process, and recruitment day to better reach talented local people.
The recruitment approach was a success, with a high proportion of applicants being successfully recruited into posts. Many of the applicants advised they had previously tried to join their local NHS trust, but due to perceived lack of experience, or difficult processes, they had been unable to get past the application process. This new process gave people the opportunity to apply in an easier way, and most were successful in their application.
What did you do to make a difference?
NELFT took a number of steps to ensure that the vacancies not only reached local people, but also developed a recruitment process that was more accessible and open.
Leaflets were sent to all residents of Basildon area advising them to contact a generic email address to apply. There were no difficult application forms to complete, just a CV and covering letter emailed.
Crucially, all applicants were invited to the recruitment day, so long as they had an equivalent of Maths and English education. The recruitment day was held in a central point of Basildon town centre to allow the applicants to be able to easily attend via public transport. Each area of the Community Services was represented in recruitment discussions.
Impact of the project
Not only did the Basildon recruitment drive lead to the successful appointment of candidates into ‘difficult to fill’ positions, it also gave the opportunity for local residents of Basildon to apply for jobs within their own community.
The experience also helped NELFT to reflect and learn about their own processes that might be hindering local people from applying. During discussions many applicants spoke of how they had been trying to ‘get through the door’ of the NHS, but found it an impossible task. With this recruitment drive, it became possible for them to not only apply, but to be successful in their quest to work for their local NHS trust. It also helped NELFT to reflect on the transferable skills they really need to be looking for. Applicants had varied backgrounds, including in care homes, nursing, but also in non-care roles, like retail. This recruitment drive helped to find and recruit talented local people who might have previously been overlooked for roles, by re-evaluating qualifying criteria and identifying valuable skills that could be transferred into working within community services.
For more information about the programme: