NHS to Hire Nurses Before Vacancies Exist

The government has pledged to give newly qualified nurses and midwives easier access to thousands of new posts under a “Graduate Guarantee” scheme. 

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the scheme would “make sure there are enough jobs for every newly qualified nurse and midwife in England” and allow NHS trusts to hire newly qualified staff “based on projected need” rather than current vacancies.

Officials said the package aimed to tackle graduates’ concerns about job availability. Health Secretary Wes Streeting called it “absurd” to train thousands of nurses and midwives each year only to leave them without work when hospitals are short of staff.

Addressing Workforce Bottlenecks

Record numbers began nursing studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with fewer nurses and midwives leaving the profession, some areas now have up to three times as many graduates as vacancies.

“No one who dedicates themselves to a nursing or midwifery career should be left in limbo, when their skills are so urgently needed in the effort to rebuild our NHS,” Streeting said.

Professor Nicola Ranger, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary and chief executive, said the scheme should offer “hope to students.”

“When the health service urgently needs nursing staff, it was absurd to leave people in limbo,” she said.

Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) chief executive, said student midwives would be relieved to learn they could start their careers without unnecessary barriers.

Professor Greta Westwood, chief executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said the announcement sent a clear message: “Your skills are valued, your future is supported, and your place in the NHS is secure.”

Calls for Ongoing Support

However, Westwood cautioned that more was needed to retain new recruits “They must be supported by high-quality, structured preceptorship that supports their development into confident, capable, and compassionate professionals,” she urged.

NHS Providers Chief Executive Daniel Elkeles also welcomed the move but questioned whether the scheme would be fully funded.

“Trust budgets are already under enormous pressure. There is no spare money. Any further unfunded measures risk eating into frontline services,” he warned.

Details of the package emerged following talks between the government, the RCM, and the RCN. 

Additional Measures

Other measures in the Graduate Guarantee include:

• An online hub offering application advice and information for graduates
• £8 million to temporarily convert vacant maternity support worker posts into Band 5 midwifery positions

The DHSC said it hoped the changes would help distribute healthcare professionals across a wide range of sectors.

“The test of this will be if students can find jobs, vacant posts are filled, and patients receive the care they deserve,” said Ranger.

Rob Hicks is a retired National Health Service doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He is based in the United Kingdom.