How Marmion Delivered 44 posts for NHS 111 and Out of Hours Service

Overview

Our client was awarded an additional NHS contract to deliver services within a different geographical location, which placed additional pressure on their HR team who not only had to TUPE transfer staff from the former provider and support migration of services, but they also had to manage and maintain ongoing recruitment requirements within the existing business/contract.  The biggest concern for the HR team was the significant number of applications (approximately 500) unprocessed in the team’s mailbox (for an undisclosed length of time) which were need for operational teams to be considered for current vacancies.

The client did not want to utilise the traditional Recruitment Agency solution which was not only costly but did not guarantee quality in terms of delivery of resources.

Solution

With limited time to understand the client’s operational processes (1 week from acceptance of solution to go live) much of the solution was based on the Projects leaders understanding of commissioned services and extensive experience of managing volume recruitment requirements.  Marmion solution for the client was to simplify the process and to outsource the front end recruitment procedures. The objective was to remove the administrative burden of processing a large volume of applications for the HR team and to only present suitable candidates for consideration to attend face to face interviews all within very short timescales by:-

  • Working with joint IT departments to establish immediate and ongoing access to the clients HR Mailbox
  • Screening all enquiries from the inbox and job boards advertising vacancies
  • Categorising the applications and prioritising against the more urgent vacancies
  • Handling the responses to ensure that the client brand was protected and promoted
  • Consider and retain applications that may not be needed at the time but may be utilised for later campaigns
  • Capture data in accordance with client specific policies
  • Minimise time spent by an already stretched Operations teams interviewing unsuitable applicants by ensuring the front end process was effective in its selection of the right people!

The process includes:

  • Daily monitoring of the Mailbox and job boards ensuring that applications are responded to within 24 hours. In order to clear the backlog Marmion worked from 08.00hrs to 20.00hrs and weekends for the first 4 weeks.  Applicants continue to be tele-interviewed outside of normal working hours to suit their shift patterns
  • All CV’s received into the HR Mailbox are reviewed and if suitable an application form is sent to the applicant within 24 hours (same day unless received during the weekend in which case responded to each Monday excluding Bank Holidays)
  • Each ‘client’ application form and ‘NHS Jobs’ application form is screened against criteria provided by the client, and if suitable the candidate is invited to participate in an initial telephone interview by email within 24 hours or if a ‘clinical’ applicant a call would be made on receipt of the application in order not to lose the candidates interest.

The tele-interview document was designed by Marmion and included basic biographical and competency questions, qualifications, preferred hours and days of work, details of commitments which might affect the applicant’s ability to comply with shift patterns/locations and earliest start dates.  As this is a 24/7/52 hour service, candidates are also asked to confirm they are happy to work, if on Rotas, all bank holidays and weekends. We also check availability for the required 2-4 weeks induction programme. The form has evolved over time to be more role specific.  The duration of the telephone interview varied according to the role, clinical and managerial roles could take up to 1 hour to complete. The objective of the interview is to provide greater insight into the role and company to the prospective candidates and also to deselect unsuitable candidates at the earliest stage thus avoiding wasting time interviewing and appointing unsuitable staff.

  • If following the telephone interview it was agreed that the candidate met the client criteria, applicant packs are sent to both the Operational Lead and HR who would then arrange face to face interview
  • Applicants who failed to meet criteria at any of the stages described above were sent emails thanking them for their interest but advised they were unsuccessful at that time.
  • I month into the project Marmion was asked to handle all internal applications and to follow the same process for early stage selection.

Additionally Marmion has:-

  • Provided bi-weekly Management Information on all applications received and processed up to the point of face to face interview
  • Provided weekly breakdown of costs of service per location and vacancy
  • Captured all applicant details for future audit purposes
  • Developed MI for clients internal use to be used in meetings with commissioners
  • Ensured that we complied with IG in respect of data protection

Results

In 3 month Marmion has achieved the following result:-

  • Received 868 Initial expression of interest or Applications
  • Screened 355 CV’s
  • Sent out 234 Application forms
  • Reviewed 490 Clients and NHS Jobs Application forms
  • Conducted 263 Telephone interviews
  • Sent 326 Declined emails
  • Assisted in filling 44 post (We have not been provided with details of all posts filled to date). Some of the data provided includes vacancies which are in the pipeline

Cost

Marmion understood that the client had to work with a strict recruitment budget, using typical Recruitment Agency Services would have cost between 15-25% of the annual starting salary for each new placement.  Our solution was to break the service down into units of activity offering a completely transparent costing structure. As the client was provided with a weekly breakdown of activity they were able to monitor and if required control costs immediately.

Based on the 44 posts filled and at an average of £19000 per annum (most posts filled were at the non clinical level) and most on 2/3 time (part-time roles as out of hours service) the total cost would have been approximately £83599.  Marmion was able to deliver the service for a 1/3 of the cost

Conclusion

As a result of the work done to date we have been asked to continue the service and we are being considered to support the national programme (presentation pending). We are also in discussions to manage the appointment process following on from the telephone interview as well as being considered to undertake the vetting process to include:

  • Ensuring candidate has the correct Right to work in the UK Documentation
  • DBS Searches
  • Employment History Referencing (5 years)
  • Certifying Qualification Documents for Clinical staff

The roles covered to date are Clinical Staff (GPs, ANPs, ECP, Streaming Nurses. Clinical Advisors) Clinical Services Managers, Compliance and Governance Manager, Assistant Regional Managers, Regional Head, Call Advisors, Dispatchers, Rota Administrators, Team Leaders, Pharmacy Technicians and Drivers.