Our National Health Service is the cornerstone of healthcare provision in the UK. But it is increasingly under pressure. From long wait times and increasing patient numbers to budget issues, and staff dissatisfaction, these pressure points are having an impact on a wide variety of hospital services, including the recruitment and retention of both clinical and non-clinical roles in the NHS.
Much of the discussions have been surrounding the impact of these challenges on the recruitment and retention of doctors and nurses. However, it is important to also consider some of the biggest challenges for non-clinical NHS recruitment and the impact of staff shortages for healthcare support staff.
NHS Catering Services in the Spotlight
The NHS is one of the largest providers of food and drink services in the country. Every year it’s dedicated catering teams provide over 200 million meals for patients, staff and visitors. Balancing providing timely meals that are nutritious, tasty, and good quality across different locations and NHS Trusts is an incredible feat. Hospital catering staff and other non-clinical roles in the NHS do a fantastic job in achieving this day in day out.
Which is why it’s important that teams stay well-staffed and qualified so they can continue to provide efficient services. As we all know, food and wellbeing are an important part of care and can have a huge impact on their ongoing health, patient satisfaction, and overall hospital experience. In fact, 65% of patients felt that hospital food had a direct impact on their overall hospital experience.
Understanding the Pressure Points
Let’s look at some of the wider pressures facing the NHS today and how those might impact hospitality services and non-clinical roles in the NHS:
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Staff Shortages
Both the NHS and social care sectors are experiencing widespread staff shortages. The overall NHS vacancy rate is 8.4%, significantly higher than the UK average of 3.4%. However, some regions and NHS Trusts are struggling more than others to attract staff to key roles – with coastal and deprived areas finding talent attraction most challenging.
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Funding
The NHS has been chronically underfunded for at least a decade. Between 2009/10 and 2021/22, the difference between what funding would have been if historical growth rates had been maintained, and what was actually provided reached £322 billion in real terms. Despite government funding increasing during the pandemic, it remains grossly inadequate.
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Increasing Patient Numbers
The UK has a growing population, something that also puts increasing pressure on NHS services. This growing population is also combined with a population that is aging. Nearly 20% of the UK population is now aged 65+ with more and more of us are living with long-term or chronic health conditions again all of which puts greater pressure on NHS and social care services.
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Workforce Attrition
Growing patient numbers and a lack of staff and budget shortfalls have all lead to increased workloads for the current NHS workforce, and wages continue to lag behind the private sector. This has led to dissatisfaction, causing staff to look elsewhere. Combine that with a large number of staff nearing retirement and it is estimated that the NHS will experience a shortfall of staff of 360,000 by 2037. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims to address these issues with an expansion of retention strategies such as increased investment in training and development.
For NHS hospitality services and other non-clinical roles in the NHS, a lack of adequate staffing levels and resources will lead to inconsistency and potential disruptions in service delivery, a drop in the overall quality of services and hinder their ability to provide services that meet a wide variety of NHS Trust’s needs.
Where KSB Recruitment Comes In
At KSB Recruitment we have over 30 years’ experience supplying the very best hospitality, facilities management and catering talent to companies around the country in both the public and private sectors. Working very closely with the MOD in supporting their catering core, we have a deep understanding of the public sector per so. We are therefore proud to have become an approved Crown Commercial Services Supplier (CCS) on the RM6277 Non-Clinical Staffing Framework. This means we are an approved NHS Workforce Alliance Supplier providing temporary recruitment and permanent recruitment solutions for non-clinical roles within the NHS under lot 6.
As experts in hospitality and catering services recruitment, we understand just how challenging it can be to ensure your teams are equipped to provide the best level of service. Working with a recruiter like KSB Recruitment means that your staff in non-clinical roles are always:
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Flexible, Responsive and Timely
Your service needs can change quickly. From seasonal peaks to unplanned absences, you may need to cover roles fast. At KSB Recruitment we can provide temporary services for a wide range of non-clinical roles that meet your fluctuating and dynamic staffing needs. In as little as 1 hour from your call we get the ball rolling on supplying temporary and permanent non-clinical staff with the skills you need.
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Cost-Effective
Whatever your exact requirements, we know it’s important that our recruitment packages meet your needs. You don’t want to be stuck with services or staff you don’t need or want! From the smallest to the largest, our solutions are tailored to fit within your budget. Whatever your requirements, we have the right package for you and our after-care service is second to none. Just ask some of our happy clients.
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Quality Assured and Compliant
Facilities and hospitality are such an important part of patient care, which is why it’s important that your services remain compliant with NHS standards. All our temporary and permanent placements go through a thorough and in-depth vetting process to ensure their skills and expertise are of excellent quality. So, you can be sure your high standards are maintained. We go above and beyond the requirements of the framework in assuring the right standard of candidate is supplied to fit your role.
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On- Going Support
A dedicated account manager with experience of the NHS will be assigned to work with you and ensure a smooth transition takes place. They will be your main point of contact and will provide service checks at least once a week with the service user.
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Find out more about how we can support your recruitment for non-clinical roles in the NHS or contact one of our knowledgeable and friendly consultants today.
