A RECENTLY announced NHS recruitment and retention strategy will also benefit Jersey, according to an Assistant Chief Minister.
Earlier this month the UK government published details of a 15-year plan which aims to fill over 100,000 doctor, nurse and other health worker vacancies. The JEP asked Jersey’s government whether the NHS’s new recruitment strategy would exacerbate local recruitment issues, due to the high cost of living in the Island compared with the UK.
States Employment Board vice-chair Andy Jehan said: ‘The SEB welcomes the long-term workforce plan by the NHS that will, if funded and delivered, benefit the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in Jersey.
‘Healthcare is many professions, and the NHS Strategic Workforce Plan covers all of these and increases capacity for training.’
Mr Jehan added: ‘We [the SEB] will consider how we can contribute to and benefit from the strategy.
‘This includes supporting Islanders to train in healthcare professions and attract through competitive terms and conditions and establish a stronger education offer in Jersey.
‘We will continue to make our own plans for our workforce, as Jersey is a unique jurisdiction with our own policy approach to healthcare – and some unique demographic challenges.
‘We will continue to look to attract a global workforce to bring the best of different healthcare systems to our Island.’
The JEP also asked whether the NHS’ proposed recruitment plan would encourage doctors and nurses to stay in England after completing training or drive Jersey-based healthcare professionals to the UK. The Assistant Chief Minister cited apparent successes in recruitment and retention within education in his response.
‘Within Jersey, this SEB has already been looking at innovative and long-term approaches to recruitment and retention,’ said Mr Jehan.
He added: ‘We have already demonstrated a successful change in approach in education and are now looking at how we can apply this in healthcare services.’
