Coventry and Warwickshire Newly Qualified Recruitment Collaboration
Summary
Five NHS organisations across Coventry and Warwickshire, working with Coventry University, created a centralised recruitment and placement process for Newly Qualified Nurses. The initiative replaced fragmented approaches with a single system that supports students from application to employment. By coordinating recruitment timelines, aligning communication, and offering guaranteed roles within the system, the collaboration has improved staffing safety, reduced operational waste, and provided clear, supportive pathways for students moving from education into their first roles.
The Challenge
Previously, each Trust managed recruitment independently, leading to duplication and inefficiency. Students often submitted multiple applications and accepted several offers, which:
- Inflated staffing projections and caused last-minute withdrawals
- Created inconsistent timelines and messages across organisations
- Reduced confidence and clarity for students
- Limited opportunities for regional workforce planning
This approach disrupted induction processes, weakened workforce forecasts, and placed unnecessary pressure on both staff and students.
The Solution
A centralised application portal was designed with Coventry University, giving students a single-entry point to apply and rank preferences across all five organisations. Key features included:
- Coordinated allocation of roles, with options to secure a preferred specialty even if the first choice was not available
- Joint careers events and promotional materials using shared Coventry and Warwickshire system branding
- Weekly cross-Trust meetings to align recruitment timelines, maintain consistency, and share data
- A collaborative approach involving resourcing teams, recruitment and retention leads, Coventry University professors, and senior nursing and people leaders
The project was led by the Associate Director of Nursing for Workforce at UHCW, with sponsorship from Chief Nursing and Chief People Officers across all organisations.
Results & Next Steps
The collaboration has already achieved measurable outcomes. Recruitment numbers increased from an average of 80 students per cohort to 116 in September 2024 and 119 in January 2025. Withdrawals reduced significantly, from 14 previously to just 2 in September 2024 and 6 in January 2025.
Students now benefit from a clear, consistent recruitment journey with improved communication and support, while workforce teams have greater visibility of future staffing needs and can plan safer staffing more effectively.
The model has been extended to include Return to Practice students, Registered Nurse Associate top-up students, Children and Young People nursing students, and those from other universities undertaking placements in the system.
Next steps include publishing learning and insights for wider use, and refining the process after each cohort to ensure it remains responsive and effective.
