Overview
Due to high staff turnover and continued development, there’s an ongoing need to recruit more people across the health and care sector.
Candidates may be on the cusp of meeting the requirements of a role and there’s a range of options and support available to them.
This section shares some of the tools and opportunities that are helping people join the health and social care workforce.
Key challenges
- Pre-employment offers are not equitably available across the Greater Manchester region, which may pose accessibility issues for some candidates
- Not all pre-employment courses automatically lead to a job, which is a challenge both candidates and organisations face i.e. candidates investing in development that may potentially benefit other organisations
- Attendance may be challenging for people if they are already in employment
Benefits
- Improved retention rates post-onboarding due to staff feeling more supported and having a better understanding of their new job
- Recruiting new entrants/‘new blood’ helps strengthen the workforce pipeline
- Provide work experience placements for potential employees and allows the opportunity to access they are suitable for the role
Pre-employment courses
Numerous starter courses are being provided by different providers (funded and non-funded) within health and social care to help prepare candidates for their next career opportunity.
Finding pre-employment courses
Local colleges
Oldham College runs a dental nurse apprenticeship programme.
Commission your own training provider
Many Trusts offer training for new healthcare support workers, which involves training them for up for six weeks before they start at Band 2 Level.
HMR Primary Care Academy
HMR Primary Care Academy provides nursing apprenticeships and foundation degrees.
Step into Primary Care
The Step into Primary Care programme is currently being piloted in some areas.
Step into Care
The Step into Care Programme is a dedicated adult social care recruitment programme that provides people with the initial skills they need to get into social care. The ultimate goal is to recruit talented and compassionate key workers in Greater Manchester (see the case study below for more details).
Learndirect
Learndirect is a private training provider that offers a wealth of training opportunities, including access courses and degrees.
Case study: Step into Care
Listen and watch these real-life case studies from social care employees, who have completed the Step into Care programme.
Useful links and resources
- GMCA-funded training and skills programmes
- HMR Primary Care Academy
- Learndirect
- UK colleges database
Next » Widening participation
Many organisations, large and small, reach out to the local communities around them and engage with residents to widen participation.