The recruitment and retention of radiographers has been a huge focus of the services in recent years, with the challenge of managing increasing services demand while attempting to decrease the high vacancy rates and workforce shortages which is subsequently impacting the delivery of imaging and radiotherapy services.
This section of the SWAP hub aims to provide access to professional body guidance and employment support with the goal of equipping the workforce with tools to address and overcome the challenges.
Recruitment
Some Service Managers have succeeded in recruiting staff through imaginative and innovative recruitment initiatives. The more successful ones tend to be those that are well supported by their Human Resource Directorates and Workforce Development Confederations (or equivalent).
Local Recruitment Guide
This guide has been produced by the Society of Radiographers (SoR), supported by NHS England, to provide information and guidance about routes into work that are often under- utilised in the NHS, but which bring with them many benefits.
Learn moreThe use of international recruitment to fill UK vacancies is not without difficulty and the Society and College of Radiographers advises caution in this activity. A guidance booklet, International Recruitment of Radiographers to Work in the UK (2003), is available.
International recruitment
Guidance and support surrounding the recruitment of radiographers from international countries
Learn moreRetention
The Society and College of Radiographers views retention of staff as being the single most important key to success in the provision of a suitably qualified workforce to meet the demands of the service. High turnover and long term vacancies leave staff feeling pressured. These factors can also make it difficult for them to participate in developmental activities which enable them to work better and motivate them to stay.
Recruitment takes time and resources to carry out and having high staff turnover makes the process difficult when trying to attract new staff. With that in mind, investing in staff retention is just as important as recruiting highly skilled staff.
Skills for Care created a guidance document, Top tips for adult social care workforce retention , focuses on the different factors that can affect it retention in the healthcare support workers workforce.
These factors include areas such as pay, working hours, working culture and environment, career paths, and having line managers who can engage with their teams effectively. Here's a list of areas covered within the document:
- Some of the key areas to focus on in recruiting staff are:
- Creating a positive place to work
- Good leadership and management
- Inclusive and effective workforce planning
- Embed recruitment practices that retain staff in the long-term
- Promoting career development
- Offering positive benefits and terms and conditions
- Promoting staff wellbeing
- Appropriate rewards and recognition
- CIAG (RG) [Careers Information Advice & Guidance] - can't find document
- SoR Career Guide (Sue)
- NHS Careers