Emerging recruitment trends within the healthcare sector
In the years I have been recruiting within the healthcare sector I have seen that there have been an increasing number of people who have successfully transitioned both into and out the NHS.
Why? Because of the change and transformation that is underway in the NHS, and the different challenge that being involved in a similarly aligned industry brings. In other words, there is an increasing war for talent across both sectors which have numerable similarities with each other.
One of them is the issue of effective and safe staffing within the healthcare sector – both commercial and public – which has been a hot topic for several years. Successful recruitment within the healthcare sector relies on various factors. Patient safety and experience is the number one driver. But delivering high-quality care requires a capable, engaged workforce who can operate at their best without burnout or fatigue.
Currently, there is a record number of vacancies in the NHS. Some parts of the private healthcare sector are also struggling to attract people too, particularly for front-line service roles. The issue of recruitment and retention is fast becoming a perpetual headache for HR leaders in the commercial and private healthcare sectors.
Winter of discontent for the NHS
At the time of writing this, the NHS is in the most perilous winter crisis it has faced for decades. Yes, the pandemic created acute pressures across the system three years ago. But political and economic conditions demanded the Department for Health throw large sums of money into the system to deal with the crisis.
Now, the tap is tightening. There is no longer a “war-footing” mentality, and more importantly, there is a divisive disconnect between people delivering care and those paying for it.
The current strike action by nurses and proposed strikes by junior doctors over pay and conditions threatens to make the situation worse. Recent reports suggest that junior doctors are leaving in droves after finishing their studies; they are due to vote on another strike in a couple of weeks’ time.
After complaints about ministerial interference by the unions Rishi Sunak recently intervened to bring about an end to the stand-off between the government and nurses. The present situation threatens patients’ wellbeing, and in some cases, their lives. Patient safety and quality is at risk without doctors, nurses, and allied support workers to deliver the care patients need.
Leadership in the healthcare sector
It’s in this context that we discuss the interchangeability of leadership talent between both the private and public sectors in the healthcare sector. More recently, the boundaries between the two have been blurred due to the pandemic. Private healthcare providers helped to alleviate the pressure on the NHS. In some NHS Trusts, they have specialist services offered on a private basis within the Trust itself.
The self-pay market has increased by 40% in the last three years. The health and wellbeing market is worth £1trn globally, according to management consultants McKinsey. People are more conscious about living well and for longer. As a result, diagnostics and holistic preventative procedures are becoming more common. Bringing together commercial and private sectors within health and social care is now formally recognised in statute with the creation of supra-organisational Integrated Care Boards.
What does this mean for leadership talent in the NHS?
It’s no secret that professional managers in the NHS bring an abundance of talent. Having first successfully navigated the Graduate Management Scheme, they go on to manage large, complex services with significant budgets.
Healthcare professionals are used to working in high-pressure environments and they bring strong stakeholder relationship management skills. There is a big demand for people who bring both operational and strategic experience into the private healthcare sector. As a recruitment specialist in the sector, we have seen a war for talented commercial people in recent months, particularly in the healthtech sector. We get approached by people who want to hire more commercial people in the business and bring more understanding of operating in a more dynamic environment.
How well do NHS managers adapt into the private sector and what is the benefit There are a number of factors to consider. There is an assumption that jobs in the NHS are relatively protected from the rough and tumble of the commercial market. Although, this does not mean that a job for life is guaranteed in the case of poor performance. Indeed, reducing the number of middle management roles is something the NHS does largely as a cost improvement exercise.
The other consideration is the structure of the organisation. If the healthcare business is backed by a private equity fund, for example, the rewards may be high but do not underestimate the difference in environment.
In any case, if you are a commercial healthcare provider looking for new ways of working in the sector, there are numerous benefits from hiring NHS managers. Given the current political climate, there may also be an abundant supply of talent emerging from the public sector who bring a genuine appetite to make the move.
Mandy Turpin
Director - Teare Executive Search
Our in-depth knowledge of employee recognition and reward initiatives give us a leading edge on other recruiters. Get in touch today for Executive Recruitment with board level insight. Call 01625 315 017 or email: mandy.turpin@teareexec.com
