UK shortage occupations review

The UK Border Agency revised the National Shortage Occupation List on 18 March 2008. As part of the new immigration strategy it will be replacing this current list in autumn 2008 and NHS Employers has submitted evidence for this based on employer feedback.

2008 UK Border Agency Review of the Shortage Occupation list

As part of the new immigration strategy the UK Border Agency will replace the current shortage occupation list in autumn 2008. In the interim the following changes have been made based on evidence from the NHS workforce review team.

With immediate effect the occupation title for pharmacists has been amended to read:

• pharmacist (including pre-registration pharmacists)

On 18 July 2008 the following occupations will be removed from the list:

• consultant geriatric medicine
• consultant rehabilitation medicine

In March and early April 2008 NHS Employers asked NHS organisations to provide information that demonstrates which occupations they have difficulties recruiting to. Employers were asked to consider the following questions.

• Which occupations, grades and specialities are you experiencing recruitment difficulties with? (eg, consultant in renal medicine; staff nurses Band 6 and above in theatres).
• How long have you been having difficulty filling these posts? (Approximate timescales only eg, 1-3 months, 3-6 months).
• Is the lack of skilled labour affecting productivity? Please provide examples where possible.
• To what extent are you being forced to use alternatives to migrant labour? (eg, recruitment and retention premia, outsourcing, changing role to fit the available labour market skills).
• What are the consequences / risks attached to utilising alternatives?

This information, and data collected from an analysis of applications per vacancy from NHS Jobs, has been used to compile our evidence to the UK Border Agency to support the case for including the healthcare posts employers need on the new shortage occupation list.

Employers told us that shortages have resulted in increased expenditure on locum and temporary staffing and that they were affecting their ability to deliver government targets and the content of the Operating Framework as shown below:

• maximum 18 week referral to treatment time set by the Department of Health (consultant posts, allied health professionals and healthcare scientists)
• cancer targets (radiology, histopathology, biomedical scientists)
• Standards for Better Health (pharmacy)
• healthcare associated infections (nursing staff of all levels).

The Home Office Migration Advisory Committee is now processing the responses to produce a new shortage occupation list which will be issued alongside the launch of Tier 2 of the Points Based System for skilled migrant workers in autumn 2008.

Details of the new list will be published on this page.

Will this affect my ability to recruit from overseas?

Removal of a particular occupation from the list does not mean that a work permit will not be granted for any vacancy that exists. Providing the employer can demonstrate that the post has been advertised and there were no suitable applicants from the resident labour market, an individual from overseas may be selected and appointed.

The Home Office advises that you should allow four weeks from the date the post was advertised for the whole recruitment process to be completed, before you send your work permit application. You will need to provide evidence of advertising the job and explain why the method of advertising you chose was the most appropriate. See the Home Office guidance for more information.

Job adverts can be placed for free on NHS Jobs.