Background
When the permanent contractors at Leeds Teaching Hospital were transferred to a new data platform build, the project they were working on was not able to continue due to the lack of staff . There was, therefore, an immediate need for a cost-effective and quick staffing solution to complete the project.
As the given timescale was limited, we had to find a time-saving and cost-effective solution for Leeds Teaching Hospital who needed six contractors to fill the positions for 12 months. Each contractor had to take important positions, such as information analysts, technical leads, a business analyst and a data architect.
Project
Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd are an approved CCS supplier on our RM6160 framework which is Non Clinical and Fixed Term Staff framework. They worked together with Leeds Teaching Hospital on an action plan that was a huge cost saver and a time saver as well. It was ideal for this particular procurement as it offered a quick onboarding process and direct contact with suppliers which helped to build good working relationships.
This framework is produced by Workforce Alliance – an alliance between CCS and NHS procurement. It helps to procure quality candidates in the UK, both regionally and nationally, in a range of specialisms and in accordance with the NHS Employment Check Standards and Skills for Health for NHS roles.
Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd were able market the jobs to ensure Leeds Teaching Hospital found quality candidates with the right set of skills.
To ensure the entire process ran smoothly they created a Trello board to manage the project, which also included the hiring managers. This allowed Leeds Teaching Hospital to have instant updates about the whole process without the need of having long and time-consuming meetings. The supplier also set up Whatsapp groups to provide a channel for instant communication as time was limited.
Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd were involved in each and every interview as a third partner which allowed the customer to have immediate feedback both ways and this fast tracked the process. All compliance checks were done by the supplier and these were completed in a matter of days so the contractors could start working with little delay. Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd worked closely with Leeds Teaching hospital, in partnership, as they outsourced the entire project to them, and we at CCS were able to work as true partners with them. The process was admin heavy but they pooled resources internally to achieve all the checks. The supplier was working with engaged customers and so there was no lag in the response time to the candidates. This ensured a perfect candidate experience.
Challenges
The biggest challenge was attracting new candidates as each role was skill specific but this was carried out flawlessly by the supplier. Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd marketed the jobs in the right places. The budget also made it a challenge to find quality candidates but, by having a good understanding of the role and culture, we were able to sell more than just the rate to contractors and we found people with the skills needed within the set budget.
The process also included a dedicated recruiter from the Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd, acting as a brand ambassador for the Leeds team and attracting the best possible candidates in a highly competitive market. The entire recruitment process lasted only two weeks.
Outcome
All positions were filled in just three weeks with only eight interviews. These results were only possible because the process was highly efficient.
All selected contractors are still working at Leeds Teaching Hospital with the possibility of extending contracts. With their specialist skills the contractors are adding significant value – meeting all targets efficiently. We managed to achieve this in the given timeframe and within the set budget.
Communication was the key factor in achieving this result. Each stage in the process taught us how effective, timely communication delivers satisfactory results, while keeping every individual involved happy.
“Recruiting six contractors at once for an immediate start was a big ask but Alex made the process incredibly easy. We knew exactly what he needed from us and when. He never failed to update us on progress, the candidates we got were brilliant and contracts and the paperwork was always completed quickly. He couldn’t have done anything to improve our experience with Evolution as it was perfect!” – Laura Holmes, Senior Project Manager