Local NHS bodies shortlisted for two national awards for healthcare support worker recruitment programme

Efforts to recruit healthcare support workers to NHS jobs in three local hospitals have been named as finalists in two categories at one of the UK’s most prestigious nursing awards schemes.

The local Integrated Care Board and the NHS trusts which run the Bedford, Luton and Dunstable, and Milton Keynes Hospitals, have been recognised in the Nursing Times Workforce Awards for a collaborative project which has so far placed 94 healthcare support workers into new roles. Their project has been nominated in the Best Use of Workplace Technology category, for their digital marketing recruitment campaign using social media platforms and digital posters in popular community areas such as shopping centres, transport hubs and colleges.

The Workforce Development Academy at the ICB has been shortlisted as Workforce Team of the Year for its ability to work across both health and care sectors and geographical boundaries, leading projects including the healthcare support workers recruitment programme, the development of an employment hub, community outreach recruitment, and retention initiatives such as legacy mentoring.

Felicity Cox, chief executive officer of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:

“I am delighted to see this innovative partnership receive national recognition in one of the country’s leading awards schemes.  It shows that Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes are leading the way in the way we recruit people to NHS roles.

“Building up the NHS workforce is vital if we are to address some of the challenges we face, such as increasing demand for appointments and waiting lists.  That means it’s essential that we diversify our workforce, creating new roles and making the best use of all staff’s expertise, skills and time.”

The Nursing Times Workforce Awards consists of 18 categories, celebrating good practice in leadership, learning and development, recruitment and retention.

Shortlisted entries now go forward to the final stage, where they have to make a presentation and face questions from the judging panel in mid-October, before the winners are announced at an awards ceremony in London on Thursday 28 November.