NHS Employers provide advice and support to NHS organisations on the domestic recruitment and retention of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, scientists and the wider healthcare team.
We give advice to employers on the following:
- good retention practice
- the Improving Working Lives (IWL) Standard
- returners incentives under the Return to Practice initiative
- how to run a recruitment campaign
- contacts within NHS Careers for help and advice
We also organise conferences and events to share best practice and to support implementation.
The increase of staff numbers is one of two key objectives in the NHS Plan to deliver an improved health service. The following depend on it: improved patient access and choice, shorter waiting times, and improved standards of care. More information on the strategies the NHS is using to expand its workforce can be found on this website.
The Primary Care Development Scheme
This contains information about the PCDS which provides additional support and funding aimed specifically at areas where recruitment into general practice is difficult.
Return to practice
These pages offer an introduction to return to practice (RTP) schemes. RTP is acknowledged to be a cost effective way of getting experienced staff back into the NHS and these pages will give suggested routes to secure funding as well as case studies of successful RTP activity.
Flexible careers & returner scheme
The budget and management of the Flexible Careers and Returner schemes for GPs and hospital doctors for 2005/06 has been under review. The aim is to devolve the management and funding of the schemes to Strategic Health Authorities.
Last reviewed 26 Oct 2006
