Applying for jobs with the NHS

Now that I am a registered doctor with the General Medical Council (GMC), the next step is getting a job in the UK. There are multiple ways to apply for employment within the National Health Service (NHS) - through the NHS Jobs website, Health Jobs UK website, other websites, agencies, recruiters, LinkedIn etc. 

In this post, I will guide you through the process of how to apply for jobs.

First, you want to visit the website and search through the currently advertised jobs. Use keywords like "FY1," "FY2," "Trust Grade Doctor," "Trust Junior Doctor," etc. If you find a job that interests you, your next step is to set up an account and profile if you haven’t already. Just an FYI, the NHS is working on a new jobs website to replace the current one. It is being introduced in phases, so some parts of the new one are already live. Some jobs will redirect you to the latest NHS Jobs website when searching the existing website. Your account on the old website is not transferable to the new one, so for any jobs on the new website, you will need to set up a new account to be able to apply for them. The plan is to close the old version of the website at the end of October 2022.

For any jobs of interest, ensure you read the job advert carefully. Download the job description and person specification documents, which will give you more information about the position, required skills, experience, knowledge, and qualifications for the post. Make sure you read these documents in their entirety before proceeding with an application.

Once you are ready, click ‘Apply’, which will take you to the online application. 

Generally, all applications will include some variation of the following sections:

1. Personal details: this includes your name, physical address, email address, and phone number. Disclosure of information is where you answer questions like are you related to a member/employee of the NHS Trust you are applying to, have you ever been dismissed from previous employment, have you any unspent criminal convictions or binders, or any cautions, warnings or reprimands etc. 

2. Application: 

• Education and Training - Schools/Colleges/Universities: here, you want to list any schools, colleges, or universities you have attended, what qualification you received, and on what date it was obtained. It would be best if you started with the most recent first. 
• Training Courses Attended*: here, you want to list any courses you may have done, for example, Advanced Life Support (ALS). Check if the job you are applying for lists ALS as an essential or desired criterion.
• Proposed Further Qualifications*
• Professional Registration: here, you want to list your GMC registration, your registration number, and the expiry/renewal date.
• Present or Recent Employment History (including Nurse Training)*
• Employment prior to above starting with most recent*
• Supporting information: here is where you provide details supporting your application; you want to sell yourself. It’s like a motivational letter, making it the most crucial section of your application. 

Before writing, read the job description and person specification documents to use this section thoroughly. Some adverts have additional questions which must be answered for your application to be shortlisted. 

An excellent supporting statement will explain clearly how you meet all of the essential criteria and some or all of the desirable criteria. Include the reasons why you are applying for the post, details of any relevant experience gained either in a paid or voluntary capacity, any training, education, or other interests relevant to the post, and personal attributes you have to support your application. You want to highlight your skills, qualities, strengths, and experiences. Your supporting info should describe what you can bring to the role and what sets you apart from other candidates.

• Staff at Risk of Redeployment**
• Inter Authority Transfers**
• Declaration: here, you confirm that all the information you have provided in the application is, to the best of your knowledge, correct and complete. You also accept that withholding any information or providing false or misleading information could result in your application being rejected or, if accepted to the position, dismissal or disciplinary action.

*As a recent medical school graduate, I didn’t have anything to write in these sections and ended up leaving them blank. 

**These sections are only necessary if you are already employed by the NHS or the Trust you are applying for.

3. References - here, you want to include references that can vouch for you and your activities for the last three years. References should be provided by a person of standing in the community, such as a Professor, Teacher, Health Care Professional (i.e. Doctor, Physiotherapist, Registered Nurse), Minister of Religion, Police Officer or Solicitor. You can choose as many references as you’d like, but I recommend having at least three strong referees for this section. You need to include their name and contact details. 

Check with your referees that they are happy to give you a reference and inform them that they could be contacted by the Trust/hospital you are seeking a job with. If you do not wish for your referees to be contacted before the interview, you can indicate this on the application form, but note that no offer of employment will be made without satisfactory references. 

4. Equal opportunities - here, you include your gender, age, marital status, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, and if you have a disability. As a reminder, The Equality Act 2010 protects people against discrimination on the grounds of any of the above.

You can save your application and come back to work on it anytime. It is probably best you don’t complete it in one sitting, but rather a few to make sure every time you look at it with an open mind.

When you have completed the application, review all your answers before clicking submit. Check for spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure all the dates are correct. Note that unless specifically asked for a CV, one will not be used. It is expected that all the information found in your CV you would have shared through the different subsections of the application form, and therefore there is no need to upload one. 

If you are all done now, you are ready to click ‘Submit application’. Once you submit, check your email regularly to see if you have been shortlisted. Don’t be discouraged if the first response you get is a rejection letter. It is not uncommon to submit multiple applications before you are called in for an interview.

If you’ve made it this far like me, congratulations and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours. Good luck with the job hunting process!