With an ever-increasing number of healthcare workers moving to the private sector and abroad, how will the NHS address its branding problem and adapt its recruiting game?

British healthcare officials are scrambling for solutions, as things just keep getting worse for the National Health Service (NHS). The last few years have seen a mass exodus of nurses and doctors from the public sector, as excessive financial strains and inadequate support continue to plague overwhelmed hospitals and practices.

The crisis is complex but can essentially be understood as a branding problem. The perception of the NHS as a poor employer has entrenched itself in British society over the past decade. The appeal of better pay and work-to-life balance offered by opportunities abroad or in the private sector has proven simply too great for many to ignore.

The dilemma is cyclical in nature. As the situation continues to deteriorate, more and more healthcare workers are jumping ship, placing an even larger burden on those left behind. Stress levels increase and support systems collapse, as the remaining few consider their bleak prospects and begin searching for greener pastures.

Reinforcing the Front Lines

No one has suffered the effects of understaffing more than the nursing sector. This autumn, an estimated 800 vacancies were reported in Essex alone, and nurses filled only 79.6% of daytime shifts at Colchester’s hospitals last month.

The remaining nurses aren’t the only ones struggling. According to Unison Head of Health Christina McAnea, “The increase in workload and stress is also felt by patients and by workers’ families.” With nurses stretched to their limits, patient safety has been exposed to greater risk.

The NHS has answered the urgent calls for help with a massive recruitment effort. In the absence of trained British applicants, many trusts are looking overseas to countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece in order to fill the gaps. A recent investigation by ITV News revealed that 31% of nurses working in English hospitals received training abroad.

In response to this rapid increase in dependence on foreign nurses, the public has raised questions not only over the quality of their training but also their commitment to the British healthcare system.

As Dr. Peter Carter, the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing, points out, "Without better forward planning, the NHS will spend its money on overseas recruitment at the expense of consistent staffing and high quality care."

The focus should shift towards seeking out the "right" employees needed to secure the future of British public healthcare rather than filling the gaps with a quick, unsustainable fix.

Time for a More Effective Solution

Volume recruitment is never easy, especially when you’re considering a multinational applicant pool and possess limited time and resources. Faced with these challenges, the NHS needs to consider more cost-efficient recruitment methods. Cutting-edge technologies can help offset costs while allowing the NHS to hire more effectively and selectively.

Launchpad Recruits’ video interviewing software would allow NHS recruiters the benefit of personalized, one-on-one interviews without needing to send teams of recruiters abroad. It would also allow them to cast a wider net and to recruit more confidently, ensuring they find the best nurses and doctors possible.

Whether dealing with applicants at home or internationally, the need for effective volume recruitment remains the same. For years, the NHS has wasted precious resources – racking up a £500m deficit in the first 3 months of this fiscal year alone, according to the Government watchdog organisation Monitor.

Whatever the NHS is doing clearly isn’t working and it must fundamentally pivot its approach to overcome this crisis. Today's problems require modern, innovative solutions. The tools are all there; the NHS just needs to reach out and grab them.