Retention & Recruitment
International Recruitment and Skilled Worker Sponsorship (formerly Tier 2)
Support for newly qualified non-European Economic Area (EEA) GP trainees
Health Education England acts as the proxy visa sponsor for international medical graduates on the GP Training Programme that require visas to live and train in the United Kingdom (UK).
After completing their training, these GPs either need to return overseas, find employment with an employer that holds a skilled worker visa or if they have already been in the UK for five years or more apply to normalise their status as a UK resident. This visa has replaced the Tier 2 one and allows individuals to come to or stay in the UK to work in an eligible job with an approved employer.
Becoming a UK Visa Sponsoring Practice
Gaining the right to be a UK visa sponsoring practice has many advantages and could form an important part of your general practice workforce planning because you need a sponsorship licence to employ someone to work for you from outside the UK.
In addition to the Skilled Worker Visa, qualified GPs working in health or adult social care are also eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead. This is the visa which doctors applying for the International Induction Programme will need.
If your practice has GP vacancies, or is likely to have vacancies in the future, obtaining a sponsorship licence will help ensure that you maximise your opportunities to recruit into these roles.
Sponsorship will also allow you to employ one of the growing number of GPs from countries such as Australia and South Africa who are relocating to the UK via the streamlined CEGPR process – Streamlined CEGPR process | Medical Education Hub (hee.nhs.uk) and European GPs that have applied to join the International Induction Programme –https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/general-practice-gp/how-to-apply-for-gp-specialty-training/international-induction-programme.
Comprehensive current Home Office guidance on how to apply for a licence, sponsor a worker and your duties as a licenced sponsor for a worker on this route can be found here Workers and Temporary Workers: sponsor a skilled worker (accessible) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The application process can take up to 16 weeks but most applications from practices are currently being approved in around four to six weeks.
Hosting an International Medical Graduate (IMG) in your Surgery
Being an International Medical Graduate (IMG)
More information and support for practices
- Here is the UK visa sponsorship guide for employers on GOV.UK.
- Email for dedicated and prioritised visa support and advice for any NHS staff including GPs and practices: UKVINHSTeam@homeoffice.gov.uk.
- BMA Becoming a Skilled Worker Visa Sponsor Guide for GP Practices: –PowerPoint Presentation (bma.org.uk).
- For further guidance on the sponsor licence application process please see the GP Practices Sponsor Licence Process webinar produced by the legal firm Magrath Sheldrick in association with the BMA. This is approximately 30 minutes long and provides step by step information about the application process together with the sponsor compliance requirements to hold a licence.
- For guidance on the difference between Skilled Worker and Health and Care Visa, here is some information from the Immigration Advice Service FAQs (an OISC Accredited UK immigration legal firm): Difference Between Skilled Worker Visa & Health and Care Visa (iasservices.org.uk).
- The British Medical Association (BMA) also provides an immigration advice service to its members via support@bma.org.uk.
- Here is the link to the NHS Employers International Recruitment Toolkit which was updated in July 2023: NHS International recruitment toolkit July 23 FINAL.pdf (nhsemployers.org).
- For more information visit the NHS Futures Collaboration platform: https://future.nhs.uk/connect.ti/InternationalRecruitment/grouphome?done=OBJChangesSaved&sm_newemail=.
Trust Temps
Temporary Recruitment – Trust Temps
Do you use temporary administration staff? Is it hard to find good people and is time consuming?
Answer: Sign up to be part of the Dorset HealthCare bank administration system; Trust Temps.
The Primary Care Training Hub is funding the cost of accessing the Dorset HealthCare bank administration system for practices in Dorset.
The Bank Staff
- Receptionists, administrators, medical secretaries
- They will have been fully interviewed and had all their recruitment checks completed
- They will have completed all their statutory and mandatory training
- We are also working to ensure they will be fully trained in using system 1
Roles Available
Receptionist
Administrator
Medical Secretary
Hourly rates are in line with Agenda for Change pay bands appropriate for the role.
Do you want to use a Trust Temp? Please contact dhc.trust.temps@nhs.net or on 01202 277152.
New to Practice Framework
Locally, in line with our NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, we have developed a New to Practice Framework in order to maximise the opportunity presented through the national programmes and to ensure we meet local needs. The purpose of the Framework is to ensure support is offered to all new roles and all newly qualified professionals starting work in general practice and help them thrive in their new role.
To support the successful implementation of the framework and with recruitment in general, we have created a set of resources and will continue to find and develop helpful resources and add them here:
- Writing adverts – How to write a great job advert
- How to conduct virtual interviews – Recruitment support for PCNs
- How to conduct virtual interviews – Recruitment support for candidates
In addition, if you are planning to recruit to the new funded roles under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) you will find information against those roles here. We are regularly adding resources such as examples of adverts, Job Descriptions and Person Specifications under each role.
Retention
The collation and analysis of workforce data helps us to develop new initiatives and opportunities for our valued colleagues across Dorset ICS.
Part of our work has focused on the development of a set of ‘Guiding Principles’ to help retain and recruit staff, especially those in priority roles. Further to this we are currently collaborating with colleagues across the ICS to design and implement support for managers, career planning and an impartial career support service.
“Improving Staff Retention – a guide for employers” is a useful new resource produced in March 2022 in conjunction with NHS Employers which aims to support line managers, employers and leaders, and anyone involved in the retention of our NHS people, by suggesting actions to take to drive progress in retention across several areas. Click here to view the handbook.
It also provides helpful practical tips and tools to consider, and case studies from NHS organisations. It includes new chapters aimed at colleagues in their early and later stages of career with specific focus on induction, reward and recognition and support during the menopause.
A copy of this guide can be downloaded here.
Advertising Vacancies
We provide a platform for all Primary Care Networks and Practices to advertise any workforce vacancies free of charge. Previously this has been through the Doorway to Dorset website and now we are pleased to confirm that we will be using the Join Our Dorset website, which has a higher number of visitors and is where all Dorset focused recruitment campaigns are directed towards.
To advertise your vacancies please provide details of the vacancies to our team via traininghub@ourdorset.nhs.uk.
Career Flex
To aid with retention and recruitment, our Career Flex service provides support with setting up portfolio careers and flexible working for all primary care colleagues. When paired with education and coaching/supervision, our portfolio support can also help develop accredited specialist interest roles. Examples include GPwER (GP with Extended Role) Dermatology.
To find out more please contact us at traininghub@ourdorset.nhs.uk
GP return to work programme
To support GPs who have been away from work for an extended period of time such as maternity leave, shared parental leave or illness, we have developed a one-day programme providing CPD and simulated patient consultations. We understand the importance of rebuilding confidence when returning to work and each simulated consultation is supported with feedback and coaching from an experienced GP Educator.
Click here to find out more >>
To see available dates and book a place please visit our CPD and Training calendar.
Education Alliance & Cornerstone Employer
Working in collaboration with the Our Dorset Workforce Delivery Team, we have established an Education Alliance with representatives for local schools, colleges and universities as well as bodies such as Young Chamber Dorset & The Careers and Enterprise Company. The Education Alliance focuses on the following areas:
- Inspiring students about careers in health and care
- Work experience
- Provides a database of NHS careers ambassadors to support our engagement with schools
- Developing education for tomorrow’s workforce
- Working in collaboration with The Careers & Enterprise Company we have established the NHS in Dorset as a Cornerstone Employer focusing on building talent pipelines for the local health system, sharing best practice with other Cornerstone Employers and being an ambassador and champion for social mobility.
National GP retention Scheme
The GP Retention Scheme is a package of financial and educational support to help doctors, who might otherwise leave the profession, remain in clinical general practice.
The scheme is aimed at doctors who are seriously considering leaving or have left general practice due to personal reasons (caring responsibilities or personal illness), approaching retirement or requiring greater flexibility. The scheme supports both the retained GP and the practice employing them by offering financial support in recognition of the fact that this role is different to a ‘regular’ part-time, salaried GP post, offering greater flexibility and educational support.