Slight fall in long-term NHS job vacancies among major staff groups except for midwives and GPs, surveys show

Long-term vacancy rates have fallen slightly for most major NHS staff groups in England except for midwives and GPs, survey findings from The NHS Information Centre show today.

According to the NHS Vacancies Survey, England, 31 March 2010; 0.5 per cent (4,667) of jobs across the NHS overall had been vacant for three months or more, compared to 0.6 per cent (5,529) the previous year and 1.6 per cent (14,876) in 2005.

Total vacancies (all vacancies, regardless of the length of time they have been open) at March 31 2010 stood at 2.1 per cent (21,351), compared to 2.9 per cent (28,616) the previous year. There were corresponding falls for all the major staff groups except GPs.Total vacancies data have only been collected since 2008 so longer-term trends cannot be identified.

The survey shows that at March 31 2010:

  • For midwives the three month vacancy rate was 1.2 per cent (255) compared to 1.0 per cent (191) the previous year and 1.8 per cent (348) in 2005. The total vacancy rate was 2.7 per cent (559) compared to 3.4 per cent (693) the previous year.
  • For medical and dental staff (hospital doctors and dentists excluding training grades) the three month vacancy rate was 1.4 per cent (644) compared to 1.5 per cent (674) the previous year and 3.1 per cent (1,230) in 2005. The total vacancy rate was 4.4 per cent (2,113), compared to 5.2 per cent (2,367) the previous year.
  • For qualified nurses the three month vacancy rate was 0.6 per cent (1,922) compared to 0.7 per cent (2,088) the previous year and 1.9 per cent (5,801) in 2005. The total vacancy rate was 2.5 per cent (8,153) compared to 3.1 per cent (10,014) for the previous year.
  • For unqualified nurses the three month vacancy rate was 0.3 per cent (217) compared to 0.4 per cent (329) the previous year and 1.1 per cent (1,129) in 2005. The total vacancy rate was 1.2 per cent (996) compared to 2.3 per cent (1,838) the previous year.

A separate report also published today; GP Practice Vacancies survey, 2010, shows:

  • For GPs the estimated three month vacancy rate was 0.5 per cent (32) compared to 0.3 per cent (14) the previous year. The total vacancy rate was estimated to be 2.1 per cent (125) compared to 1.6 per cent (79) the previous year.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “These survey figures show a slight dip in long-term vacancies for most of the main staff groups in the English NHS. However midwives and GPs seem to be the exception to the general pattern. Such findings will be of use to the NHS in showing which job roles appear to be difficult to fill.”

NHS Vacancies Survey, as at 31 March 2010 can be accessed at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/vacancysurvey10

GP Practice Vacancies survey, as at 31 March 2010 is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/gpvacancies10

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. The NHS Information Centre is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS Information Centre also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
  2. The annual survey of NHS Vacancies in its current format has been produced since 2002, although a different format has been collected since 1999. It reports on both total and 'long-term' vacancies which have remained unfilled for three months or more. Long-term vacancies are considered a better indicator of hard to fill posts within the NHS. Its purpose is to collate and supply data about NHS recruitment in England and to provide information on issues that may need to be addressed. It is a mandatory return for all organisations, including foundation trusts. Further detail down to organisation level is available on request. The NHS Vacancies Survey collects data directly from organisations via the EVC system and focuses on vacancies within the NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS). The survey covers all organisations in England stratified by Strategic Health Authority (SHA). Organisations were asked to fill in a form. Since 2008 organisations have also been asked for the total number of vacancies as well as the three month vacancies. This was to allow for the production of new analysis which will reflect short term vacancies as well as long term. True long term trends in this more dynamic recruitment area however, should not be assumed until a longer time series is available.
  3. Long-term rates prior to 2005 are not available for GPs or broken down in such detail for groups like Scientific, Technical and Therapeutic staff so it is more instructive to look only at a six year time series. 4. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact: