The greatest success of this project was the joined up partnership working between NHS Employers, the Department of Health and trade unions enabled at a national level by the SPF.
This partnership approach was also reflected at local level with employers, SHAs, local trade unions and higher education institutions engaged in joint initiatives. In turn, NHS Employers, trade unions, NHS Jobs and NHS Careers and workforce supply teams were uniquely positioned to provide links to the various levels in the partnership chain as a result of the already established communication channels and networks.
Key lessons learnt:
Sharing information was key to being able to monitor that progress was being made. Regular surveys of graduates were undertaken by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) which reached up to 80% via email and phone and this was shared with partners to provide up to date information about the numbers still seeking jobs. The CSP was able to provide a link for communications direct to new graduates – for example by sending each graduate a copy of the NHS Employers guidance on the talent pools and how to register as well as keeping them informed of the work that the joint partners were doing.
Sharing good practice. The NHS Employers’ and CSP’s website became a conduit for sharing and promoting good practice and effective initiatives that service managers had developed to support new graduates and the innovative ideas that managers came up with to create new opportunities.
Changing the traditional views of both managers and graduates themselves of the kinds of clinical settings where they could be employed. Rotations between community and acute settings were established in some areas and in others managers began employing new graduates in the community looking at new solutions to ensure they were provided with the support and management structure that they needed.
Many new graduates took up physiotherapy posts on short term contracts – something that had traditionally not happened – and soon came to realise that the experience such contracts offered helped them to find permanent posts.
Support at the highest levels. The support shown initially by the then Minister of State, Andy Burnham who first chaired the joint group and later involvement via the SPF by the current Minister Ann Keen helped ensure that the issue remained high on the agenda.
Keeping going. The situation fluctuated as one year’s graduates obtained jobs in the months after graduating and the next year’s cohort graduated thus dramatically increasing numbers of unemployed again.
Keeping graduates informed. This was important in providing reassurance that this was a top priority and that the solutions were having an impact encouraging them not to give up their chosen profession. It was important to remain positive but realistic and stress that this was a temporary problem which could be resolved by all parties working together, whilst recognising and acknowledging the very real difficulties and concerns of the graduates.
It was essential to avoid a “boom and bust” scenario and persuade SHAs not to dramatically decrease the number of physiotherapy undergraduate training places which would, in a short time, lead to future undersupply. We needed to put across the message that today’s new graduates are tomorrow’s experienced healthcare professionals. There was also some concern that potential future healthcare professionals could be put off applying for training due to concerns about being unable to find a job after graduating.
Having specified people with dedicated time to lead on graduate employment at SHA level also proved highly beneficial as they were able to maintain close contact with graduates to keep them informed of work and skills training opportunities available in their area as well as linking with managers to discuss job opportunities.