The last few months have shown the critical importance of our frontline healthcare workers as the NHS tackles the greatest global health crisis in its history.

Published 11 August 2020

Last updated 29 October 2021

Many thousands of workers have rejoined the NHS to bolster our hospitals and a new generation of nurses have started their careers early to join the frontline in the fight against coronavirus. Millions took to the streets for the weekly clap for carers and people have been inspired and motivated to play their part joining the largest healthcare service in the world – building the NHS workforce of the future. 

In March, the Health Careers website saw a 223% increase in the number of people expressing an interest in a career in nursing, and more than 400,000 NHS job applications were submitted. 

2020 is the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. These individuals are vital to our health service. We need to recruit and retain people in these essential and rewarding roles. 

Building the NHS workforce

The NHS Workforce Alliance was formed to enable the NHS to deliver a sustainable workforce model. The alliance brings together the expertise of NHS Procurement in Partnership and Crown Commercial Service as the biggest public procurement partnership in the UK. As leaders in the field we are collectively working to raise the bar to help the NHS address the staffing crisis and achieve a sustainable workforce model. 

With the rise in numbers expressing an interest in becoming part of the NHS, we can help your trust recruit permanent staff domestically and internationally, run retention programmes, use NHS England / Improvement approved frameworks to source agency staff and get workforce consultancy and advice.

Every alliance partner has developed award-winning, accredited, cost saving, compliant agreements. And 4 out of the 5 partners are NHS organisations, so we understand the staffing and cost pressures faced by our health service. 

We provide the NHS with straightforward and compliant routes to market, as well as dedicated support and expert category advice to enable you to create and maintain a sustainable workforce. 

The range of frameworks in the alliance portfolio cover International Recruitment, Flexible Resource Pool – Staff Bank, Non-Clinical Temporary and Fixed Term Staff, National Clinical Staffing, eRostering, HR and Payroll Solutions and Workforce Support.

Can we help you to turn this surge of interest and new recruits into the NHS workforce and help you get the staff you need into your wards, clinics and offices?

Your local procurement partner

For more information, please contact your local procurement hub:

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