recruit & retain’s solutions - makingitwork.interreg-npa.eu
TRANSCRIPT
www.recruitandretain.eu
Executive SummaryRecruit & Retain: The story so far 1
Problem SolvingRecruiting and retaining: 3Keeping high quality professional staff working in remote rural areas
So the problem is well recognised 5
The Project Powerhouse – its Partners 6
A Successful Transnational Working Partnership 9
Why Recruit and Retain?Evidence Base - The Questionnaire 10
Evidence Base - The Structured Interviews 12
Recruit & Retain’s SolutionsDefined, developed and piloted 15solutions to the issues
Advertising and Marketing 17
Administration and Organisation 19
Service Delivery 21
Infrastructure 21
Career Development 23
Professional Support 23
Domestic and Social Service 25
Education and Training 27
The Web Tool 27
In Practice 28
This will work because people 36in the know say it will
Business ModelSeven Steps to Make the Solutions Work 44
Factsheets
Advertising and Marketing 48
Administration and Organisation 55
Service Delivery 59
Infrastructure 62
Career Development 64
Professional Support 66
Domestic and Social Service 68
Education and Training 70
The Web Tool 76
The Wider Public Service Sector – 77the Strategic Management Group
Contents
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Interactive PDF file:Please note: this is an interactivedocument. Live links have beencreated throughout to help youbetter navigate around the content and access web linkswhere indicated.
RECRUIT & RETAIN buSIneSS model
1
Never before has such a powerful transnationalpartnership been established to find solutions to the problem of recruiting and retaining high quality professional public sector workers in remote rural areas.
The core of this work is in health care but thesolutions are applicable to all professionals whowork in the public service sector.
The unique approach of eight partners, creating andthen using an evidence base to design, develop andpilot 29 specific products and services in eightdifferent countries, has allowed development of apractical model relevant to all involved in recruitingand retaining public sector staff in remote rural areas.
Evidence of efficacy comes from testimonialsprovided by those at the front line of public service provision.
Working in remote rural areas is not for everyoneand there are people who are more suited toworking in the urban environment, but for some theopportunities and challenges of delivering highquality services to people living in isolated areas istheir dream; these people must be identified, valuedand supported - the Business Model shows the way.
The Business Model does not provide all theanswers and perhaps only a few of the solutions willbe relevant to any particular organisation, but theframework is there and the radical changes in
approach that need to be taken are described. Thediversity, ingenuity and flexibility makes it a powerfulinstrument to improve recruitment and nurtureretention of staff in remote rural public sectors.
The products and services are open source, thereare no intellectual property issues and each andevery solution is there for anyone to use; they canbe found at the back of this document on page 48.Their applicability to the wider public service sectoris described on page 77.
Seven StepsThe Business Model describes the Seven Steps needed to make optimum use of the Recruit and Retain Solutions:
1 Yearly Wheel
2 Who are you looking for?
3 Information, information, information
4 Get your community engaged
5 Support your staff and their families
6 You need educated and trained staff
7 Find the money to provide a highquality professional workforce
BACK TO CONTENTS
2
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
3
A remote part of ruralScotland is being leftwithout any ambulancecover because ofproblems recruiting staff.
He added that one posthad been vacant forthree years and he wasnot convinced it wouldbe filled this yearbecause of difficultiesrecruiting in rural areas.
There has been a lack ofenthusiasm from doctorsto come and live andwork in Wales - thisproblem is more acute inrural and deprived areas.
Keeping high quality professional staff working in remote rural areas
BACK TO CONTENTS
4
Read all about it!Unique work opportunitiesexist in remote rural areasbut are not well marketedand urban dwellers areoften never exposed torural work.
“One of their most complex challenges is ensuringpeople living in rural and remote locations haveaccess to trained health workers. Skilled andmotivated health workers in sufficient numbers atthe right place and at the right time are critical todeliver effective health services and improvehealth outcomes.”
Increasing Access to Health Workers in Remote andRural Areas Through Improved Retention WorldHealth Organization 2010.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564014_eng.pdf
“Given that sufficient opportunities to practisespecialist skills are not readily obtained in remotesettings, leading to difficulties in maintainingclinical skills, it must be acknowledged that tosome extent, professionals are making rationaldecisions in avoiding rural placements.”
Urban and Rural Issues for the Health Sector inScotland, Skills for Health 2011.
Here’s the but...Many ‘solutions’ come from well meaning but urbanbased planners with little or no first hand knowledgeof living and working in remote rural areas.
Organisations fail to recognise that professionalpeople need work which meets their professionalaspirations – living in a pretty place is nice but thebasis for a successful and productive career relatesmore to the job than geography.
Unique work opportunities exist in remote ruralareas but are not well marketed and urban dwellersare often never exposed to rural work.
As with those who live in towns and cities, peopleliving in remote rural areas require first classservices from personnel with knowledge skills and experience.
If employers are to retain their workforce they mustguarantee skill maintenance and improvement.
Lack of obvious social and domestic supportsystems deters recruits and hinders retention.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
5BACK TO CONTENTS
Recruit and Retain has seven partners fromNorthern Europe and one from Canada. Fivepartnership organisations are responsible for frontline health care delivery and three are involved inhealth care education, training, research andcollaborative working.
They come from:The world’s largest island: Greenland
Europe’s three largest islands: Great Britain(Scotland), Iceland and Ireland
The United Kingdom’s third largest island: Lewisand Harris (Scotland)
Southern Lapland: Sweden
The Arctic’s northernmost county, Finnmark (Norway)
Canada’s second largest province, Ontario(Northern)
The partner areas (except Canada) cover 2.5 million km2 (25% of the area of Europe) with population densities ranging from 0.03 to 8.5 people/km2 (European mean 112).
The Partners are:
NHS Western Isles, StornowayLead partner, one of Scotland’s 14 regionalHealth Boards, with headquarters inStornoway.
Northern Ontario School ofMedicine, SudburyA Canadian medical school providingcommunity engaged medical education andresearch with a social accountability mandate ofcontributing to and improving the health of peopleand communities in Northern Ontario.
Agency for Health and Prevention, Nuuk Responsible for Greenland’s healthcare.
Akureyri Hospital, AkureyriProviding specilaised healthcare for the people ofNorth and East of Iceland.
Finnmark Hospital Trust, FinnmarkServing the health needs of the population of theCounty of Finnmark in Northern Norway.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
6 BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
7
GreenlandIceland
Scotland
Scotland
NorthernIreland andRepublic of Ireland
Sweden
Norway
Canada
County Council of Västerbotten, Storuman and Umeä Incorporating The Centre for Rural Medicine (GMC) and The Emergency & Disaster Medical Centre (AKMC).
Centre for Rural Health, InvernessA collaboration between the Universities of Aberdeen and theHighlands and Islands. The partnership includes NHS EducationScotland, a Special Health Board which is the education andtraining body for NHS Scotland.
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT),LondonderryA crossborder partnership between the Health and Social CareServices in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
These people deliver the services and knowwhat they are talking about.
More information on the partners and their areas is in the individualstatus reports at: http://www.recruitandretain.eu/general-information/database/project-partners-status-reports/
BACK TO CONTENTS
8
Getting to workIlulissat, a town in theQaasuitsup municipalityin western Greenland,located approximately200 km north of theArctic Circle.
First hand knowledge and experience allowsrealistic and practical answers to be found to the real problems of living and working in remoterural areas.
Rural organisations from different countries havemore in common with each other than with theirnational urban counterparts making this projectunique in its ability to identify rural relevant issues.
Transnational working gives access to locallydeveloped solutions for use in other similar butdistant environments.
The synergy of views derived from previouslyunconnected workplaces approaching similarproblems from different perspectives enhanceseffective solution production.
Successful cooperation and collaboration acrossnational boundaries cements working relationshipsto produce long lasting productive alliances.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
9BACK TO CONTENTS
10
The online healthcare worker questionnaire (in fivedifferent languages) was conducted in the Autumnof 2012 and attracted over 5000 responses (Canada306, Greenland 227, Iceland 1551, Ireland 375,Norway 1118, Scotland 964, Sweden 550).
The questionnaire was sent out to healthcare staffworking in rural areas and an adjacent urban areaallowing rural/urban comparisons to be made.
50% of respondents had a rural background and29% of respondents were working in a rural area.
Sixty four per cent of people working in a rural areahad a rural background, 44% of people working inan urban area had a rural background.
Over two thirds of both urban and rural workersplanned to stay in their present job for the next two years and >40% would stay in current job until retirement.
Isolation was more common in rural than urbanworkers in each of the countries:
Professional (42% vs 18%), Geographical (48% vs 16%) Social (25% vs 8%), Cultural (28% vs 8%) Religious (7% vs 3%)
When commencing their present jobwhether it was urban or rural> 70% considered that the working conditions, jobsecurity and the post meeting their education andtraining needs were important and this was equallytrue for urban and rural workers.
> 35% indicated that education and careerpossibilities, availability of mentoring, the reputationof the employer, flexible working hours, financialremuneration and leisure, social and recreationalactivities mattered. With the exception ofremuneration (more important to rural workers) andleisure, social and recreational activities (equallyimportant to urban and rural workers) all of thesefactors were more important to urban workers.
A previous clinical placement in an area was important to a quarter, but more so to urban workers.
Having been raised in the area of employment wasnot particularly common (21%) and was no morecommon in urban than rural workers, similarly wherethe spouse was raised was not very important (18%)but was more important to rural than urban workers(21 & 16% respectively).
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
11
Important Factors
FACTOR
IMPORTANT IN CURRENT SITUATION
PRESENT IN CURRENT SITUATION
Total Urban Rural Total Urban Rural
Affordable housing 74.3 74.8 72.6 72.7 72.1 74.2
Access to education 54.3 57.8 46.0 80.8 88.7 61.7
Shopping 56.8 63.3 41.0 81.5 91.5 57.4
Schooling 67.8 71.6 58.3 73.5 79.8 58.3
Leisure activities 76.5 77.4 74.4 90.2 93.6 82.1
Partner employment 65.6 67.3 61.4 67.3 70.0 61.1
Available child care 42.8 44.8 38.2 48 51.9 38.8
Friends and family 76.5 80.5 66.9 75.5 80.3 60.5
Public transport 45.8 50.5 34.6 70.2 79.1 49.0
Travel costs 66.8 68.5 59.8 n/a n/a n/a
Internet access n/a n/a n/a 94.4 94.6 94.0
People who had left rural jobsin the last 12 months181 responses - 64% had moved to urbanemployment and 36% to rural.
Important factors in leaving were:
>40% limited career possibilities, lack ofprofessional support and family reasons.
>30% poor financial remuneration, poor working conditions and inflexibleworking hours.
>20% lack of job security and lack ofleisure, social and recreational activities.
Highlighted data indicates a >10%difference between urban and rural
The complete results and analysis are available at:
http://www.recruitandretain.eu/general-information/database/questionnaire-results/
BACK TO CONTENTS
12
Partners carried out structured interviews with 76 health care workers in a variety of professions.
This selection of responses were similar in all professions and all countries.
Professional and CareerPositive
Rural medicine is exciting and diverse – morecontinuity of care and chances to know patients.
Negative
Jobs are poorly advertised and easily missed.
A lack of opportunities to add to my skill set.
Rural hospital workloads are onerous and demanding.
Recommendation
Early experience of rural health care should beencouraged.
Social and Family FactorsPositive
The availability of the remote and rural life style with itsoutdoor social and leisure activities.
Negative
Work life balance is important - there is moreflexibility in urban posts.
I would have liked more support to set up my family.
Not enough to do.
Recommendation
Put in place means to integrate new staff into thecommunity and social life of the organisation.
Find ways to assist spouses in gaining employment.
12 BACK TO CONTENTS
Never before has such a powerful transnationalpartnership been established to find solutions to theproblem of recruiting and retaining high qualityprofessional public sector workers in remote ruralareas.
The core of this work is in health care but thesolutions are applicable to all professionals whowork in the public service sector.
The unique approach of eight partners, creating andthen using an evidence base to design, develop andpilot 29 specific products and services in eightdifferent countries, has allowed development of apractical model relevant to all involved in recruitingand retaining public sector staff in remote ruralareas.
Evidence of efficacy comes from testimonialsprovided by those at the front line of public serviceprovision.
Working in remote rural areas is not for everyoneand there are people who are more suited toworking in the urban environment, but for some theopportunities and challenges of delivering highquality services to people living in isolated areas istheir dream; these people must be identified, valuedand supported - the Business Model shows the way.
The Business Model does not provide all the
answers and perhaps only a few of the solutions willbe relevant to any particular organisation, but theframework is there and the radical changes inapproach that need to be taken are described. Thediversity, ingenuity and flexibility makes it apowerful instrument to improve recruitment andnurture retention of staff in remote rural publicsectors.
The products and services are open source, thereare no intellectual property issues and each andevery solution is there for anyone to use; they are inthe “Recruit and Retain Solutions” booklet in theAppendix.
Seven StepsThe Business Model describes the Seven Stepsneeded to make optimum use of the Recruit andRetain Solutions
1 Yearly Wheel
2 Who are you looking for?
3 Information, information, information
4 Get your community engaged
5 Support your staff and their families
6 You need educated and trained staff
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
13
Financial FactorsNegative
Recruit the correct people – locums should not be the first solution.
Cost of living and travel costs are high.
Inadequate resources make it difficult to provide high standards of care.
Recommendation
Improve benefits and provide financial packages to help with the move.
Professional Support and Governance
Negative
Lack of mentoring of new employees, poor peersupport and feeling undervalued.
Inadequate marketing of rural health careopportunities.
Recommendation
Provide effective induction along with professionalsupport and job specific information.
Establish a central website with job adverts anduseful local information.
Improve links with local universities.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
13BACK TO CONTENTS
14
Camera, action, recruit!Promotional films helppromote and portray rurallife and job opportunitiesin the various partnerregions.
15
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
The products and services developed by Recruitand Retain provide a series of defined, developedand piloted solutions to issues identified asimportant by the evidence base.
The individual Fact Sheets describe the backgroundof the product or service, why it has beendeveloped, the development process and it givesdetails of what the product or service actually is andhow it can be accessed and used.
All products and services are open access and freeto use, there are no intellectual property orcopyright issues which prevent their use by anyother party.
The Fact Sheets are divided into groups and all canbe found at the back of this document on page 48.
BACK TO CONTENTS
16
Changing FocusAn advertising campaignusing real-life testimonialshelped fill professionaljob vacancies inGreenland.
17
These Fact Sheets indicate how simple informationbooklets and promotional films (videos) provideinformation about an institution and its area.
There are demonstrations of how to promote workand living opportunities to people early in theircareers, introducing the possibility of remote ruralworking as a potential career objective.
A description of urban/rural exchanges takes this onestep further with practical illustrations of thepossibilities that exist in the remote and ruralenvironment.
How to change advertising strategy from thetraditional ‘selling the life style’ and saying ‘wouldn’t itbe great to come and live in this wonderful area’ to anew message that this is a healthcare organisation weare proud of and we need staff who have the ability tomeet the challenges of this unique environment.
Details of a course specifically designed to equippeople with an easier and more effective way to writegood and effective job advertisements.
The Fact Sheets are:
Information booklet
Promotional films
Introduction to rural medicine forstudents and interns
Presentation to interns
Exchange programme for health personnel in generalpractice in remote rural areas
Advertising campaign business case
Job advertisement course
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
18
Systematic ApproachCreating new links withstudent training bodieshas helped better promotecareer possibilities in ruralFinnmark.
19
An essential but proactive, simple and practical key tothe recruitment planning process is the Yearly Wheel -this describes recruitment activities throughout theyear and provides focus for management and staff onwhat needs to be done in the days ahead.
Information from the Recruit and Retain questionnaireand structured interviews indicated the need for bothrecruitment and relocation officers and details ofbusiness cases for these posts are described.
Incentives for recruitment have been used in the pastwith varying success but a novel approach whichincludes a ‘sign on fee’ for not only the personemployed, but the individual involved in a successfulrecruitment episode has been used to good effect.
The Fact Sheets are:
Yearly wheel
Relocation officer business case
Recruitment officer
Sign on fee
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
Rural RotationA three month rotationscheme now provides aconstant supply ofspecialist healthprofessionals betweenurban Denmark and ruralGreenland.
20
Difficulty finding suitable people to work in remoteand rural health care is commonplace; increasing thetraining opportunities for rural general practitioners isa way forward and has been explored in Iceland.
In the situation where permanent staff are difficult tocome by organising a rotation scheme with an urbanpartner provides a workable option as long as certaincriteria, which are described in the fact sheet, are met.
Working in isolation is a challenge and details of aninnovative programme to provide enhancedresponses in health care helps retention of highlyskilled personnel are provided.
The Fact Sheets are:
Increase the number of general practitioner traineedoctors in rural areas
Rotation scheme
Driving change throughcooperation between front line services
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
21
Improving the use of electronic means ofcommunication by ensuring availability of broadbandin rural areas is a challenge and information about aconsultation process is presented.
More innovative technology such as tele-robots mayprovide answers to providing expert advice.
The Fact Sheets are:
Improved broadband for rural areas
Clinical expertise to rural areas through tele-robots
BACK TO CONTENTS
22
Information HighwayA dedicated websiteproviding easily accessibleinformation focussing onthe whole family and thesocial aspects of living and working in a new rural area helps supportnew employees and their families on theWestern Isles.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
23
For those living and working in a rural area, careerdevelopment and progression is a requirement toencourage retention and prevent out migration.
A tool has been designed to support the developmentof a career framework targeting health and socialcare. A specific example is an educational programmeto develop home care personnel.
The Fact Sheets are:
Career framework
Further education for home carepersonnel in remote areas
Ensuring that people and their families feel supportedin the remote rural environment will increase thelikelihood of them being productive, enjoying their joband staying in the area.
Guidelines are provided on setting up a buddyingprogramme that, in the form of a social group,provides a means of supporting employees and their families.
Another equally innovative approach is theestablishment of interdisciplinary rural groups that,although designed specifically for health care groups,
can have wider application in the social and domesticdomains of the wider public sector service.
The Fact Sheets are:
Social Group
Interdisciplinary rural groupaiming at enhancing health care in the rural areas
BACK TO CONTENTS
Starting EarlyDeveloping an initiativethat focuses on youngfamily members comingto live in a new ruralenvironment is helpingthe recruitment processin Sweden.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
25
Many potential employees in remote rural areas havefamilies and these need consideration.
Finding employment for partners can be difficult and amethod for identifying where potential jobs might beavailable using Google Maps is described.
Making sure the younger members of a family arecatered for may be the difference between losing orretaining a valuable employee.
Examples are provided of the type of informationwhich may be needed to make a decision as whetherto move to a rural area or not.
The Fact Sheets are:
Couple recruitment
Focus on young family members
BACK TO CONTENTS
26
Home-grownProfessionalsDelivering a suitablyaccredited Masters levelAudiology programmehelps deliver ambitious,young professionals inIreland.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
27
Filling medical vacancies can be a challenge,particularly in rural areas.
Offering additional training, Rural-proofmultidisciplinary scenario training and targetedtraining will ensure that, once employed, practitionerswill be supported in their roles.
A readily searchable database of scientific anddevelopmental projects within rural medicine providesan academic focus on rural medicine.
The Fact Sheets are:
Training for challenging positions
Rural-proof multidisciplinaryscenario training
Exchange of education andnetworking
Academic masters levelprogramme in audiology
Academics for rural areas
Scientific projects database
An internet-based tool capable of integrating andhousing much information on work opportunities,social facilities and activities is available to use andpopulate with locally relevant information.
The Fact Sheet is:
Web tool
BACK TO CONTENTS
28
Of the eight partners five are directly responsible for employing staff to work in the healthcare sector andvarious mechanisms to use Recruit and Retain solutions to improve recruitment and enhance retention havebeen put in place:
An active Social Group is in place as part of thebuddying and support for staff and their families. Thegroup has organisational assistance but is owned andmanaged by the staff.
“Rural proof” multidisciplinary scenario training anddevelopment is part of knowledge and skillsacquisition and is a way of fostering and enhancingeffective team working.
The Career and Education Progression Pathways forHealth and Social Care Professionals is in place andbeing expanded across Health, Social Care andEducation
Marketing materials are in place – the “Working in theWestern Isles” brochure created with the LocalAuthority – is being used in the recruitmentprocesses of both organisations
NHS Western Isles is committed to implementing awide range of solutions developed by the Recruitand Retain project.
NHS Western Isles
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
29
Use is made of the rotation scheme for intensive care nurses.
The introduction course is in place.
A buddying nurse works with newcomers.
The recruitment officer has become a permanent position.
The Yearly Wheel is part of the daily routine.
Pilot studies involving the job fair (attended in 2013 by19 major Greenland employers) and informationbooklets have attracted cross sectorial interest.
“A professional and personal challenge”
The Agency for Health and Prevention, Greenland
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
30
The sign up fee is being used.
The job advertisement course is implemented as amodule in a recruitment course package for FinnmarkCounty managers and managers in Finnmark HospitalTrust will be held regularly.
Marketing with promotional video and booklets are in place.
A buddying programme for new nurses is in place.
The web page, www.finnmark.no, owned byFinnmark county, has changed as a result ofdiscussions involving elements of the Recruit and Retain web tool.
A network of collaborating public sector companieshas been established to develop means by whichsystems to enhance ‘couple recruitment’ can beestablished.
Selected solutions from Recruit and Retain will serveas a baseline for the development of a new strategicrecruitment policy for Finnmark Hospital Trust, andalso Northern Norway Regional Health Trust.
The Finnmark Hospital Trust, Norway
BACK TO CONTENTS
The Icelandic Recruit and Retain StrategicManagement Group member has introduced theSolutions to personnel involved in the development ofa new silica metal producing plant which will employmore than 120 people. The company’s (PCC)document on local impact indicates an effect the new company will have:
“A hospital is located in Húsavík, with smaller HealthCentres in other densely populated areas. Thehospital provides general health services and dentalservices. Industrial development in the area will likelyadd increased pressure on health service in the area,particularly during the construction phase. The main need for labour increase will be within thehealth services to achieve acceptable response timewhen incidents occur.”
The testimonials (see later) from involved personnelindicate interest in:
The Web tool
Booklets/brochures
Couple recruitment
Social induction and buddying programmes
Further education courses
Akureyri Hospital , Iceland
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
31BACK TO CONTENTS
32
The web tool provides access to many of the Swedishproducts and will be a cornerstone for futuremunicipality and County Council collaboration.
The promotional films produced by Luspen Highschool have been used successfully by the educationand health sectors and are an important source ofinformation on spare time activities for young family members.
Couple recruitment pilots have led to positiveoutcomes involving the social care and educationdepartments, the rescue services and a municipalowned company working with the private sector.
A path finder for new clients in the form of a ‘movingin service’ has been established within the StorumanMunicipality.
As a result of advice from external consultants acompany developer has been engaged to assist indeveloping a recruiting organization to administerproducts and services from Recruit and Retain.
A pre-study application “care and concern as a growthcreator” has been developed by Vilhemina andStoruman counties and Västerbotten County Council.Norrbotten’s counties have received this informationand several have shown interest in becoming partnersin an increased recruiting project based on resultsacquired through Recruit and Retain.
Storuman and Vilhemina Municipalities Västerbotten County CouncilRural Medicine Centre (Glesbygdmedicinskt Center)
BACK TO CONTENTS
Why Rural has grown as a legacy product from theNPP Recruit and Retain project successes and is amulti agency proposal which will enable public sectoragencies to make better use of available resourcesand funding to significantly improve remote, rural andisland recruitment and retention.
Recruit & Retain supported Why Rural development by providing:
A new evidence base through the survey outputs
An effective model of transferableproduct design and sharing acrosspublic sectors
Excellent example of collaborativeworking /networking
Good use of evaluation of impact
New ways to address existing sharedchallenges and new opportunities.
Plans for relocation officer, yearly wheel
A strategic public sector plan andknowledge exchange
The network comprises NHS Highland, NHS Western Isles, Highland Council, Western IslesCouncil, NHS Education for Scotland, Centre for Rural Health, Aberdeen University, University ofStirling, University of Highlands and Islands,Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish School of Rural Health & Wellbeing.
The Scottish (Highland) Partner
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
33BACK TO CONTENTS
3434
Following the Canadian Recruit and RetainConference in January 2014, the Northern OntarioSchool of Medicine (NOSM) through partnerships withhospitals/health services in Northern Ontario and theprovincial HealthForceOntario is proceeding withregion-wide health human resources planning,recruitment and retention. Specific initiatives include:
Establishment of the human resourceplanning subgroup of the NorthernTeaching Hospital Council
Health human resource planningworkshop led by Professor Des Gorman,Executive Chair Health Workforce NewZealand in April 2014
Formal collaboration withHealthForceOntario working towardsregional self-sufficiency in supply andmaintenance of health human resourcesin Northern Ontario.
The Canadian Partner
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
35
Clinical Expertise to Rural Areas - Threehospitals in the cross border area ofIreland/Northern are to receive a tele-robot which will be controlled remotelyfrom other locations. This is now inprocurement phase.
Further education for home carepersonnel in remote areas - Plans for asecond year's intake of home carestudents is well underway following thesuccess of the pilot year.
Promotional Film - This has been viewedacross a number of public sectororganisations, has gained praise andoffers a platform for future expansion.
Audiology Masters Degree Programme -This is the first suitably accreditedaudiology degree level course in Irelandand is due to commence its first intake ofstudents in September 2015.
Improved Broadband for Rural Areas - Thiscollaborative project is progressing well inanticipation faster broadband connectivitywill be rolled out in rural areas of NorthernIreland by December 2015.
Training for Challenging Disciplines - An advanced nurse practitioner course isnow underway to help address thechallenges in recruiting health careprofessionals in peripheral hospitals
Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland partnership
35BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODELRECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
36
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
After opening the final Recruitand Retain conference inEnniskillen, Mr Foster said in theNorthern Ireland Assembly:“It was a fascinating conference,and I took a lot away from it. I willlook at ways in which we canimplement it.”Mrs Arlene Foster, MLA Ministerof Enterprise, Trade andInvestment for Northern Ireland.
Benefits of Transnational ExchangeProgramme The most exhilarating thing about experiencing a transnational GPexchange programme is that, once again, it is made clear to methat General Practice is a very portable profession! The big benefit for me of this exchange was the perspective itgives me on my own work setting when it is juxtaposed with GP inrural Sweden. There were many aspects of the process in Swedenwhich I envied – the sense of less time pressure, protected timefor administration, more advanced computer software. It seemedthere is a more realistic understanding of all the work a GP does inSweden and that this has been catered for. This has given me anenthusiasm to promote some change in Donegal – so much easierto do when you have actually seen it in action! It was alsorefreshing to hear what Dr Meike Harmening thought aboutGeneral Practice in Donegal because an outside perspective onour practice highlighted things we had simply become used tobecause they were the norm, not necessarily because theyworked well. I think that both Dr Harmening and I felt that bytrying to incorporate some of the aspects of GP which worked wellin each other’s settings, our own setting would improve.Dr Sarah Maguire, General Practitioner, North Donegal, Republicof Ireland following a visit to Åsele, Southern Lapland, Sweden
The people involved in boththe core and the strategiccomponent of Recruit andRetain sought evidence thatthe solutions had support inpublic service sectors – this ispresented in the form ofquotable testimonials:
BACK TO CONTENTS
Should major construction come tofruition, however, rescue servicescould make use of a web tool in order toattract new employees and volunteers.Many projects in this sector can foster newsocial relationships.Volunteer work in rescue services can act asa great social induction programme and wewould certainly participate in such work. Training and further education are anintegral part of the programme of the rescueservices and one of their means to maintaininterest and motivation. It is definitely a wayto maintain and recruit team members.Friðrik Jónsson, Manager of CivilProtection and Emergency Planning in theCounty Þingeyjarsýsla
“The solutions laid out in this project can beuseful for private companies like PCC, which intends tobuild a production plant for silicon metal at Bakki nearHúsavík. In its first phase, the company will need to hire120-140 new employees in a region whereunemployment is close to non-existent. These solutionscould therefore all be beneficial.” “Cooperation across sectors is definitely importantregarding recruitment, as jobs in the PCC plant appealto more men than women and therefore cooperation oncouple recruitment could also be interesting.”“A web tool, in cooperation between private companiesand the municipality, could also be an interesting option in order to coordinate recruitment into the areaand appeal to people interested in rural living. | For PCC, it is most important to recruit competent
employees who want to live and work in the plant‘svicinity, and all the solutions introduced in the projectseem to support that.”
Dr. Sabine König, Head of Corporate Development,PCC SE (www.pcc.eu)
37
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODELRECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
“Job advertisement course We implementedthe job ads course as a separate module in arecruitment course for managers this spring andheld the course at both local hospitals inFinnmark in May. The pilots of the course werepreviously held in June and November 2012. Weaim to hold this course regularly to engage asmany staff managers as possible. This will also bea part of the Health Trust’s training programmewhich is also developed like a Yearly wheel. Over66% reported that they were “satisfied” with thecourse and 11% stated “very satisfied”. Nonereported any negativity towards the course.Overall there was a high level of satisfaction as tothe course’s content and the way it waspresented. Outcomes were also positive as tohow relevant the course was to their own work.Other comments on the course were that “it istime-consuming for many managers to produceand write creative job ads. Kenneth Grav, Team manager, HR Dept. Hammerfest hospital
" I think the team here at Highland Councilwould like to convey what a great project wethink Recruit and Retain was. We believe that yourpromotional work of the Highland region willcontinue to attract exciting and talented individualsas well as promote the area as a fantastic place toenjoy life."Andrew Taylor, Graduate Highland EconomicForum Officer, Highland Council:
”The project Recruit and Retain has influencedour municipality in a very positive way. Questionsrelated to recruitment and retention has beendiscussed at various levels and this has stimulatedStorumans Municipality to start making strategicplanning for the future. The project has resulted inconcrete decisions and actions, and we are excited tosee what this project will contribute to in the future.As a politician, it has been fun to follow this project.”Tomas Mörtsell, Mayor in Storumans Municipality
38
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
“The project recruit and retain has been veryvaluable since the project has provided newknowledge and stimulated new methodologiesand procedures to work with recruitment andretention. The project has also demonstrated thatcooperation between different sectors, such as:municipalities, county councils and private sectoris necessary for Storumans Municipality as anemployer to address the future recruitment andretention challenges more effectively”.Peter Persson Director for StorumansMunicipality
“Should major construction come to fruition, social services would makeuse of a web tool.An information brochure for the region is always important regardless of thenumber of people arriving. A good idea.Couple recruitment - the social services would participate in such a solutionshould major construction come to fruition. It is also a sector which may havemore openings for women than large.Social induction/Buddying programme - such a program would address anexisting need and is a great idea.Further education course - it is an important instrument to maintain satisfiedemployees and once activity increases we will seise the opportunity place moreemphasis on this part of our operation”.Dögg Káradóttir félagsmálastjóri/ Director of Social Services in Norðurþing
Web tool - Should major construction come to fruition the educationalsector would use a web tool.Booklets/brochures - An introductory brochure for the region is always importantregardless of the number of people coming, particularly to inform newcomers ofservices offered in the educational system.Couple recruitment - The educational sector would participate in such a solution,It is a sector which may have more openings for women than large scale industry.Social induction/Buddying programme - There is considerable need for aprogramme of that kind.Further Education Course - Education is one of the few sectors which promotesfurther education, an important instrument for employee satisfaction”.Erla Sigurðardóttir, Fræðslu- og menningarfulltrúi/Director of Education andCulture in Norðurþing
39
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
If plans for extensive investment by theGerman company PCC come through:the idea of a web tool is quite feasiblethe idea of couple recruitment will gain moreemphasis… given that many of those jobs may notbe sought after by women.many people will move to the municipality andconsequently more emphasis will be placed onsocial induction”.Bergur Elías Ágústsson, Mayor - Norðurþing
BACK TO CONTENTS
The Why Rural programme of work has beenproduced as a direct result of the workaccomplished and relationships formed through theNPP Recruit & Retain Project. The Why RuralProgramme and network has been formed as a resultof the outputs from NPP Recruit & Retain and verymuch following the same collaborative model in termsof structure and form. This is a reflection of howsuccessful we consider NPP Recruit & Retain Project tohave been in a range of key areas for ourselves inHighland, Scotland as outlined below:Provided an excellent new evidence base through thesurvey outputsAn effective model of transferable product design andsharing across public sectorsExcellent example of collaborative working /networkingGood use of evaluation of impactFinding new ways to address existing shared challengesand new opportunities.Relocation officer, yearly wheelStrategic public sector plan and knowledge exchange
Pam Nicoll, Programme Director RRHEAL, NHSEducation for Scotland
“The Highlands and Islands is a region withconsiderable growth potential that is benefiting fromunprecedented investment in digital and physicalconnectivity. Initiatives such as the ‘Why Rural’ grouphelp raise this profile and change perceptions of theregion as a place to live, work, study and invest”.Denise Pirie, European Manager, NPA RegionalContact Point, Highland and Island Enterprise
” The range of solutions developed by theRecruit & Retain project was interesting.However, as the Comhairle are not activelyrecruiting staff, the majority of these solutions arenot immediately relevant. The Comhairle mayexplore these in more detail, if appropriate, as andwhen the Comhairle begins to recruit again. Also,some of the retention-focused solutions may beutilised, if appropriate. ”Norma Skinner, Organisational DevelopmentManager, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Stornoway,and Isle of Lewis
40
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
Sign on fee. Up until the present there are three new recruits whohave started their posts and have received the sign on fee bonusof NOK 10 000 (c €1,200) each. Two employees have receivedthe cash bonus for having recruited these three nurses (onerecruited 2 people). The new recruits started their placementsduring the period of March – September 2013. This is anagreement which is known for most staff at the Medical unit atHammerfest hospital, but has so far not resulted in further newrecruits. However, during the past year there has been anincrease of job applicants to our job advertisements and the unitno longer has as many vacancies as it used to have. Onechallenge in the sign on fee service has been a lack of clarityconcerning who was entitled to receive the cash sum bonus. Afew employees who had previously worked at the Medical unitwere recruited to permanent positions by a member of staff. Thisresulted in making amendments in the agreement now clearlystating that only persons who have no prior job experience at theMedical unit are eligible as recipients of the sign on fee.
Buddying programme Since the buddying programme officiallystarted in January 2014 there have been 4 new recruits. Therehave been some difficulties in setting the programme up for twoof the new recruits. One of them chose to leave afterapproximately 2 months during her trial period, due to languageproblems as she didn’t speak Norwegian very well. Another waspregnant when she started her post and has suffered from
pregnancy related issues since March as she has mainly beenoff on sick leave.
The two others have proved to be successful. The first of thesecommenced a 75% nursing post. She had her three-weekinduction period with the buddy which worked well. A designated check list for the induction period was usedespecially by herself and to a lesser extent by the buddy. The new recruit says she is highly satisfied with the way she has been received by fellow colleagues and is happy with thetraining provided during the induction period. She has been wellintegrated in the unit, also socially.
The last new recruit has not yet worked here three months. Itappears to be going very well. She has proved to be a skilled anddedicated employee and has been well received by her fellowcolleagues. She and her buddy have a good link and are verycompatible with each other. These two match each other verywell and have quickly become good friends even though they didnot know each other from before.
All in all, the buddying programme is something we do wish tocontinue, but we also acknowledge the fact that it does entailcertain challenges. This is mainly due to the heavy work load inthe unit and also that there are various types of personalitiesamongst our staff. Another key factor is how motivated the buddyactually is on assuming this new role.
Johanna Miriam Dahl, Acting Manager of the Medical Unit, Hammerfest Hospital
41
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
” I looked at the solutions developed by the Recruit &Retain project with interest and was pleased to seeseveral that I think will be of use to use here in LewsCastle College UHI. We have occasional recruitmentproblems, but generally, retention is not so much ofan issue, however, I see that both recruitment andretention may be more challenging to achieve as theupturn in the economy slowly takes effect. Therewere several solutions that I can see being useful tous, not just in the recruitment and retention of staffbut of students as well. The Information Booklet is certainly something thatwe could make use of. I think this particular solutionis an ideal way for us to introduce the idea of livingand working in the Western Isles before theyrelocate to work with us. I think that this bookletmight need some adaptation for our purposes as weare located in Stornoway, rather than in a ruralenvironment. However, it is important for anyonethinking of working here to understand what thelocality is like.Likewise, I think the promotional films offer aneffective way of communicating information aboutliving and working in the Western Isles to
prospective employees. Clearly, these willneed adapting to take account of working inthe College. I think the idea of attracting youngfamilies to the area is really important, not just forattracting the staff that we want, but also for thesustainability of the islands. The idea of a relocationofficer and an advertising campaign is a pragmaticsolution to attract applicants, as is the buddyingprogramme to support new starts.The Web Tool solution is something that haspotential and I can see how it might be useful as avehicle to take forward some of the ideas. It wouldbe useful to see this in operation elsewhere to reallysee how it works. Finally, the Career Framework is something thatcould be put into practice and adapted for use bystudents. If we can sketch out a career pathway forthem that would keep them here in the WesternIsles, it would help with the problem of populationdecline. I will be keeping the electronic version of thesolutions booklet for future reference.”Sheila Maclennan, Assistant Principal, Lews Castle College UHI, Stornoway
42
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
43
Never before has such a powerfultransnational partnership been establishedto find solutions to the problem of recruitingand retaining high quality professionalpublic sector workers in remote rural areas.
The range of solutions/products developedby the Recruit & Retain project is interesting.There is a strong slant towards Health CareProfessionals. However, some of these solutionscould be used to stimulate discussions regardingrecruitment and retention solutions for the overallHealth & Social Care workforce. For example, thebuddy product could be adapted to providesupport for new recruits. It is acknowledged thatthere is synergy between the two projects. The common ground is workforce planning, inparticular the recruitment, retention and sustainingof a rural workforce. Early on we identified thecareer pathway framework; this product hasmultiple purposes and can be transferred todifferent settings. Both projects workedcollaboratively on designing and developing threeproducts/templates that can be used for marketingand promoting careers in Health and Social Care.This collaborative approach provided mutualbenefits, resources, focus and traction.The added value provided by Recruit & Retain isthe financial resource and locus to translate ideasinto products.”Jane Ballantyne, Future of Caring At Home,Change Fund Project, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar,Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
‘”Web Tool: This may be of some use to us, but it seems a complexsolution that might be a very large investment for a problem that isn’tsignificant for us. I can see that this may be a very useful tool if we were to findourselves in the situation where we were finding recruitment difficult.Career Framework: For our students, this could be a very useful concept. Beingable to illustrate the ways in which newly qualified nurses can progress throughtheir careers without having to leave the Island would help.The information leaflets, promotional films, and the relocation officer are allsolutions that we would consider adopting, but we would need to make thepromotional films and leaflets a little more specific to our needs. We may well beusing these to attract students and tutors to the island so we would need toensure that right message was sent showing how the Western Isles is a greatplace to train as well as work. Couple recruitment and the attracting young families solutions are important tous when looking for teaching staff, but may not be so important for studentrecruitment. In this sense we may need to devise two similar but separatesolutions. Whether we would take this on depends on demand in the future. The relocation officer is something that we might be able to develop as part of anexisting job. I think this idea is one that might become more useful over time,especially if student intake increases.The buddying programme is interesting and the nursing students already dosomething broadly similar but on an informal basis. A more structured andformalised version for newly recruited staff could be useful.I am not sure that the remaining solutions are particularly useful to us just yet. Asa small element of a larger organisation, we need to think about whether using asolution like the web tool would be cost effective for us. Perhaps if we were ableto share it with another organisation locally and spread the cost of investment,we might be able to use this solution.”Michael McPhee, Stirling University - Western Isles Campus, Western IslesHospital, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
43BACK TO CONTENTS
Seven Steps The Recruit and RetainSolutions can be usedby anyone with themechanisms to takeadvantage of them;incorporate theseSeven Steps and youwill have what isnecessary to use them.
The Yearly Wheel Culture
Encompasses a proactive approachusing recruitment and relocation staffwho know:
When staff are needed
How they can be attracted to workwith you
Why they are required
What is necessary to keep them
This is how you make sure you have astable and successful workforce.
44
1 Who Are You Looking For?
The evidence is that people who workin rural environments are:
More likely to have a ruralbackground
Less likely to be interested inshopping
Willing to live away from families andfriends
Flexible and adaptable
Aware of the challenges of remote rural working and living
Don’t employ people because theycan’t get a job anywhere else – you arenot their last port of call and they maynot stay long anyway.
2
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
45
Information, information,information
Be proud of your jobs, work environmentand location. Provide potential recruits, newemployees and existing workers with honestand reliable information to enable them tolive and work in your remote rural area – thisis your responsibility.
Tell people what is on offer, get theinformation to them don’t rely on themfinding it themselves.
Market yourself so that you are recognisedas a positive part of a career pathway.
Convince new recruits that what they needto live and work in your remote rural area isavailable and just what they want .
Do this with brochures and booklets, videosand DVDs and make sure all necessaryinformation – job opportunities, workpractices, social and recreational facilities,housing, schooling etc. – is available on theinternet; consider putting it into a discretepackage such as a dedicated web tool.
You can never have too much information.
3 Get Your CommunityEngaged
Serving favourite foods in the restaurant,purporting to like cricket and listening tofusion jazz were means used by thecommunity on the island of Sainte-Marie-la-Mauderne to entice a physician to work withthem. (‘Seducing Dr Lewis’, Québécoismovie,2003) - excessive maybe butcommunities have an obligation to ensurethat the people they require to provideessential public services are comfortable andwelcome and that they do the work thecommunity needs.
Actively involve your community in jobdefinition, the recruitment process and theongoing wellbeing of newcomers and theirfamilies; doing this will allow the remoterural community to demonstrate the value itattaches to its public sector professionals.
Find ways to harness the power ofcommunity involvement and use theirexpertise to become partners in therecruitment and retention process.
Encourage the wider community to expressits appreciation of the work done by publicservice professionals.
4 Support Your Staff and Their Families
This is not a sign of weakness and it is yourresponsibility; it demonstrates your desire tocare for your staff; it comes in different formsin different places but will include:
ProfessionalOur staff need to be appreciated and realisewhen they are doing a good job. They need to know you will encourage thegood ones to stay, if not they may leave.Professional development and skillmaintenance are more difficult in remoterural areas and special efforts are needed toensure your staff are not disadvantaged .Buddying and mentoring helps the settlingin process.
Social and Domestic No job for a spouse or partner may stop agood candidate coming; so establish acouple recruiting system.Young family members have needs - notonly schooling – they need recreation,leisure and an active social life.Introduction to a community and itsactivities makes a newcomer feel welcome,we know that rural dwellers want to be partof the community so give them a chance.
5
BACK TO CONTENTS
46
Seven Steps to Make the Solutions Work
46
You Need Well Educated and Trained Staff
The best of your staff hunger for knowledge andnew ways of doing things, avoiding intellectual andeducational starvation may be difficult in remoterural areas and much that is available may meeturban rather than rural appetites.
Design courses relevant to your local needs
Engage with your local universities
Ensure students and trainees are able to makeuse of your expertise and knowledge
Encourage and support attendance at coursesand meetings
Online learning is great for remote rural areas butrequires time and resources make sure both areavailable and encourage your staff to use them
Your institution will benefit from a better educatedand trained workforce – this is money well spent
6 Find the Money to Ensure ouMeet Your Obligation toProvide a High QualityProfessional Workforce
Without money none of this will happen – remoterural public services are more expensive to providethan urban ones – the always have been and theyalways will be – the laws of economy of scale applyhere – ignore them at your peril.
Investing in your recruiting system will paydividends but the returns will be greater if youinvest in retention as well
Make the best use of your money – whenretention fails recruiting is necessary and you willpay for it – the cost of recruitment is alwayshigher than you think - the overall cost of hiringsomeone can reach twice their annual salary.
All of the Recruit and Retain Solutions are opensource and free to use – but they may cost toimplement and you will have to find the money todo it – there are no magic bullets – allocateresources and invest in your staff
7
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Seven Steps to Make the Solutions Work
46
You Need Well Educated and Trained Staff
The best of your staff hunger for knowledge andnew ways of doing things, avoiding intellectual andeducational starvation may be difficult in remoterural areas and much that is available may meeturban rather than rural appetites.
Design courses relevant to your local needs.
Engage with your local universities.
Ensure students and trainees are able to makeuse of your expertise and knowledge.
Encourage and support attendance at coursesand meetings.
Online learning is great for remote rural areas butrequires time and resources make sure both areavailable and encourage your staff to use them.
Your institution will benefit from a better educatedand trained workforce – this is money well spent.
6 Find the Money to Ensure YouMeet Your Obligation toProvide a High QualityProfessional Workforce
Without money none of this will happen – remoterural public services are more expensive to providethan urban ones – they always have been and theyalways will be – the laws of economy of scale applyhere – ignore them at your peril.
Investing in your recruiting system will paydividends but the returns will be greater if youinvest in retention as well.
Make the best use of your money – whenretention fails recruiting is necessary and you willpay for it – the cost of recruitment is alwayshigher than you think – the overall cost of hiringsomeone can reach twice their annual salary.
All of the Recruit and Retain Solutions are opensource and free to use – but they may cost toimplement and you will have to find the money todo it – there are no magic bullets – allocateresources and invest in your staff.
7
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
47
recruitretain
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODELRECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
47
recruitretain
ruralcommunicationcommunity
transnational
partnership
supportdevelop
employmentprofessionals
Northern
strategy
educationstrategic
care
project
management
developed partners
professional
publicpositivebusiness
remote
networkingnetworking
students
specifysocial
relevant
activities
trainingisolation wider
strategies
opportunities
local
impactliving
workforce group
available
programme implementation
urban
plan
EU partner
initiatives
information
sustainable solutions
developmenthealth
productsservices
quality
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundThese information booklets havebeen written to provide localuseful information to people whoare new to a rural area or who arestill considering the move. The aimof these booklets is to give anhonest portrayal of rural life withexamples of the opportunitiesexisting there.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Local | Lifestyle | Work | Social | Recruitment
Information Booklet: Scotland (Highland)
Development ProcessThese booklets were designed inresponse to results gained fromsurveys and semi-structuredinterviews with health careprofessionals.
The booklets were createdcollaboratively with Recruit andRetain project partners andexternal experts.
Each booklet has the sameobjectives but content differs tobe locally relevant. Thereforeresearch into content was variedaccording to the needs of thepartner. The booklets were thentrialled and further edits made tomeet requirements..
Product DescriptionThese booklets contain generalinformation about what it is like towork and live in a rural area andhow it can differ from life in anurban area. In addition socialinformation like sports clubs,wildlife watching and local bar andrestaurant details is included.Material about schooling, childcareservices and access to healthcareand public transport is presented.
Benefit andDisseminationThese booklets provide valuableinformation about working andliving in a remote and rural areatargeted not only at health careprofessionals but the wider publicsector. The information can beused as part of an induction packor as a promotional tool at events.
The booklets are currently beingdisseminated in partner regions atrelevant organisations and events,and are available electronicallyfrom www.recruitandretain.eu
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT David Heaney | 0044 (0)1463 255 892 University of Aberdeen, Centre for Health Science,Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 3JH
48 BACK TO CONTENTS
Background
Marketing of the NorthernPeriphery Areas asattractive places to live andwork is necessary tospread awareness topotential rural employees.The aim of theserecruitment films is topromote and portray rurallife and show jobopportunities in the variouspartner regions.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Promotion | Lifestyle | Work | Awareness | Website
Promotional Films: Norway
I n response to the project’sdata collection, which toldus that potentialemployees want morepositive marketing andinformation of what it is liketo live and work in ruralareas in order to informtheir decisions to relocate,Recruit and Retain projectPartners have produced anumber of short filmsaimed at promoting thebenefits of living andworking in their rural areas.
The films were released for initial piloting in late
Development Process
autumn 2013. TheNorwegian film had over1,000 viewings in the firstweek and the film has nowbeen embedded in onlinejob advertisements in theHealth trust.
Some partners haveproduced several filmsfocusing on differentthemes. A full assessmentof these films will require along term perspective togain knowledge of theactual effect they have hadon recruiting new staff.
ProductDescription
These short filmsemphasize why health careprofessionals have chosento work in rural areas andwhat motivates them tostay. They also focus onwhat rural life can offer andthe career opportunitiesavailable for health careprofessionals especially insmaller work places asopposed to larger urbanhospitals. Some films havesubtitles in differentlanguages and also aversion for hearingimpaired people.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Benefit andDissemination
The films are all available atwww.recruitandretain.eu,partner websites, theSwedish web toolwww.uinnorth.se and alsothrough other mediachannels in collaborationwith external partners. Theyhave also been widelyspread through socialmedia, such as YouTube,and have been used aspromotional tools atrecruitment fairs andpresentations for students.
CONTACT Finnmark Hospital TrustSykehusveien 35, 9613 Hammerfest, [email protected]
49BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundIn Sweden there is asignificant lack of generalpractitioners in rural areas.During medical trainingstudents receive little to nocontact with medicine inrural areas. A great numberof Swedish students studymedicine abroad. Theyhave weak clinicalexperiences andconnections to Swedishhealth care culture.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Job in rural area | Physician | Rural life | Lifestyle | Fishing | Hunting | Leisure | Couple recruitment
Rural medicine for students & interns: Sweden
An early presentation ofrural area medicine with itswidth, responsibilities,influences and possibilitiescan awaken interest in thisline of work. Activitiesaimed towards overseaseducated medical studentshave been requested bythe Medical StudentsUnion Abroad (MSFU). Afew young doctors fromVästerbotten midlandvisited this year’s MSFUcongress with the offermentioned below.
DevelopmentProcess
ProductDescriptionA group of students/newlyeducated doctors wereoffered one month’s workin one of the health carefacilities in Västerbottenmidland with continuousavailability of anexperienced ruralphysician as supervisor.The students are offeredto share accommodationand social activities,hobbies and presentationof the community takesplace collectively.
Benefit andDisseminationAs of the summer of 2014five doctors that haveundergone their educationoverseas have beenrecruited to the rural areawith a potential for more tobe employed.
The offer is available atwww.uinnorth.se
CONTACT AKMC, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden
50
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
51
Background
Rural medicine ischaracterised by versatilehealth care assignments,responsibility and socialawareness. For studentsnearing the end of theirmedical training and forgeneral practitioners,working as an intern in arural area is a superbopportunity to fully utilisethe full width and breadthof their education.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Job in rural area | Job for two | Rural life | Physician | Interns | Fishing | Hunting | Leisure
Presentation to interns: Sweden
DevelopmentProcessWe interviewed generalpractitioners, both youngand older, to find out whythey decided to live in aremote area. The resultsfrom these interviews, inconjunction with theRecruit and Retain datacollection, showed thatmany of the reasons forthese decisions areunknown, often chanceand coincidence play acrucial part in influencingchoices of where to liveand work.
Students early in theircareers are often easier toinfluence than olderworkers when it comes todecisions such as areas tolive and work. In order todo this effectively theyrequire adequateinformation about thecareer possibilities ofworking in rural medicine,the type of work and justas importantly –information about thesocial aspects of the area.
A good way of presentingthis information is byinterviewing and filmingdoctors already living andworking in the area. Wehave developed a numberof films that present therural area, the work,recreational activities, therural community and thepossibilities they offer tothe young student.
The films and interviewswere made with aid fromUpper Secondary Schoolfilm students in the area.
CONTACT Centre of Rural Medicine Backgatan 2, 92332 Storuman, Sweden
Benefit andDisseminationFilms and additionalinformation is availablefrom the web tool:www.uinnorth.se
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Product Description
BACK TO CONTENTS
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Exchange | Residents | Doctors | Health workers | Recruitment | Retention | Remote | Rural
Exchange programme for generalpractitioners in remote areas: Sweden
CONTACT
52
BackgroundToday’s doctors have a widerange of job opportunities and ithas always been a challenge torecruit and retain key health carepersonnel in remote rural areas. Incomparison to urban areas theopportunities for networking,exchange of experience andknowledge, education tailored forthe setting is limited in remoterural areas. To attract new keypersonnel and to stimulate thosewho already work in remote ruralareas we need to develop otherways to achieve this.
One way is participation inexchange programmes.
In order to advertise and promotethe opportunities for thoseworking in remote rural areas it isnecessary to emphasise thepositive aspects of working as GP in this challengingenvironment. Participants in theexchange programme find ways toreduce professional isolation andexpand networks which provideadditional stimulation to work inremote rural areas.
Further information on what is needed to set up such exchangescan be found. On the Recruit and Retain project website:www.recruitandretain.eu
Development Process
Participants were sought fromresident doctors in familymedicine in remote rural areas.Three resident doctors in familymedicine from Sweden and onedoctor from Ireland participated.The exchanges took place in 2013and varied from four days up totwo weeks. The participatingcountries were Canada, Ireland,Norway and Sweden. Thepreparations were madepredominantly by e-mail and telephone.
Benefit andDisseminationAfter the exchange theparticipants completed a writtenevaluation form. They said that theexchanges were inspiring; they feltencouraged to keep working inrural areas. They got new ideasabout how to develop theirpractice back home and they alsowrote that they came home withnew perspectives. Where theexchange had been bilateral thenetworking was more prominent.
Reports of the exchanges can befound on the Recruit and Retainproject website:www.recruitandretain.eu
Centre of Rural Medicine | [email protected] Storuman, Sweden
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODELRECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundRecruitment of professionals toGreenland has been a long termchallenge. Historically Greenlandhas relied on short term staff asrecruiting to longer term positionshas proved very difficult. Previousrecruitment campaigns focused onthe arctic experience, wildlife,icebergs and adventure; this hadthe effect that employees came foradventure and not always the job.
Our aim now is to change thisfocus – to attract employees forthe unique set of skills theypossess, rather than just “selling”the lifestyle. Our new message isthat as a healthcare organisationwe are proud of our work and ourstaff, who have the ability tohandle the challenges of thisunique rural area. The outdooradventure vision also providespositive personal and professionalchallenges that working in aremote and rural area bring you.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Personal | Professional | Challenge | Employee | Branding
Advertising campaign: Greenland
Development ProcessEvidence gathered from theRecruit and Retain questionnaireand interviews shows a biasagainst working in rural areas forprofessionals who want to pursuea career and developprofessionally. In order to combatthis prejudice, rural organisationsmust promote the unique set ofskills needed by their staff in orderto be a specialist in the rural area.We rebuilt our marketing strategy,removed the beautiful settingsfrom our advertisements andreplaced them with statementsfrom our staff. The statements allcarry the message “a personaland professional challenge”. Short films have been developedwith the same theme. Themessage is that it is not a pause in a career to work in a rural areait is a stepping stone. This is aplace where we expect you toperform and develop.
Product DescriptionPosters, advertisements andrecruitment short films in all staffcategories. All job advertisementshave been updated with the samevision. At job fairs this makes usstand out from other privateemployment agencies. Films andposters can be seen atwww.gjob.gl
Benefit andDisseminationThis approach has been pilotedfor a year, and is being evaluatedwith new starts and currentemployees. The evaluation showsthat although we cannot alwayscompete with salaries the strategyenables us to be aggressive in ourmarketing – with very goodresults.
Further information about themarketing strategy is availablefrom www.recruitandretain.eu
CONTACT Department of Health and Prevention | [email protected] Personaleadministrationen,3900 Nuuk, Greenland
53
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Greenland is one of the best places to learn for medical staff. You arechallenged daily and are a part of a professional network that defiesgeography and borders. Here challenges are converted to learningand experience. Anne – Marie Ulrik. Executive Medical Officer
BACK TO CONTENTS
Background
This is a course aimed atmanagers who are responsible forrecruiting and hiring new staff andto equip them with an easier andmore effective way to write goodjob advertisements.
The course focuses on spreadingmore awareness of how we can“brand” Finnmark, promoting thecounty as an attractive place tolive and work.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING : Promotion | Advertise | Course | Job | Recruitment
Job advertisement course: Norway
Development Process
It is usually acknowledged thathealth care personnel tend tohave wider career opportunities inurban areas compared to smallerremote and rural areas.Recruitment of qualified staff cantherefore be a challenge asemployers wish to attractapplicants from both urban andrural areas thus and thereforerequire a strategy to ensure thattheir key message has a widescope.
This job advertisement course isdesigned to “show and tell” byusing existing job ads asexamples showing how we canimprove them by using a moretargeted approach towards thosewe want to recruit. The aim is toshow how a good recruitmentprocess starts with a good text.
Benefit andDisseminationAfter the pilot, elements of thecourse have been implemented ina new electronic recruitmentsystem “Webcruiter” which hasproven to be an easy and efficienttool to help managers inproducing customised job adverts.The new online job ads alsoinclude the Norwegianpromotional film from FinnmarkHospital Health Trust assupplementary marketing materialto highlight the rural areas.
The course is in Norwegian andthe powerpoint presentation canbe downloaded from the Recruitand Retain website:www.recruitandretain.eu
An English description of thecourse elements is also available.The evaluation is ongoing and willrequire a long-term perspective.
CONTACT
54
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
By drawing attention to howwe convey and formulateour key message in writtenjob ads to enable theemploying organisations to“stand out from the crowd”,the course focuses on how amore positive and “selling”style can attract morequalified applicants. It alsohighlights all the positivebenefits of choosing acareer in a rural area.
Finnmark Hospital TrustSykehusveien 35, 9613Hammerfest, [email protected]
BACK TO CONTENTS
55
ADMINISTRATION & ORGANISATION : Promotion | Advertise | Course | Job | Recruitment
Yearly wheel: Norway
Development Process
The yearly wheel is a tooldesigned to describe recruitmentactivities. Evidence from theRecruit and Retain questionnaireand the interviews showed theneed for links with training bodiesto promote career possibilities inrural areas to students. Byparticipating in regular recruitmentactivities each year the employingorganisation can focus onrecruitment with a long-termperspective to encourage andmotivate school pupils andstudents to consider a career inhealth care in rural areas. Bydefining both the plannedactivities and the key personnelwho work as ambassadors to carrythem out, the Yearly Wheelencourages staff to promote theircolleagues and work places.
The activities include regularannual presentations to nursingand medical students at TromsøUniversity, “recruitment patrolgroups” aimed at promotingcareer possibilities at the HealthTrust to Upper Secondary schoolpupils, participation at recruitmentfairs etc. The Human Resourcesdepartment works closely withclinical managers to agree onwhich recruitment activities shallbe the active components of theyearly wheel. The FinnmarkHospital Health Trust has alsoallocated a separate budget forthe yearly wheel in the HRDepartment and in that waydefines recruitment as a prioritisedfield in the organisation.
CONTACT
Benefit andDissemination
The yearly wheel has been awelcomed initiative at theFinnmark Hospital Health Trustshowing a more proactive strategyto work with recruitment towardsdefined personnel groups. It alsoenables more employees in theorganisation to be activelyengaged in work force planningand recruitment work which isdeemed as a necessary factor toensure a successful outcome. Theyearly wheel is evaluated 1-2 timesper year where the effect of therecruitment activities is scrutinizedand potential new ones areconsidered.
Further information on the yearlywheel can be found at:www.recruitandretain.eu
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Background
The Greenlandic, Norwegian andScotland (Western Isles) partnersall have experience inparticipating at student fairs andrecruitment events. Theorganisation of these events hasnevertheless been challenging asno dedicated staff member hashad the assigned responsibility. A more systematic approach torecruitment and retention in theemploying organisations wouldhelp to support more effectiverecruitment of new staff.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Finnmark Hospital Trust Sykehusveien 35, 9613Hammerfest, [email protected]
BackgroundThe relocation officer businesscase is intended for potentialfunders and health authorities. Itexplains what a relocation officer’smain responsibility is and how thepost could be implemented. Therelocation officer would be a pointof contact for all potential and newstaff across the public sector.
They would help a new employeesettle in to an area socially andprofessionally by signpostingthem to relevant information.Furthermore they would act in anadvisory role to employers at allstages of recruitment, includingthe creation of job descriptions,person specifications and theinduction process.
ADMINISTRATION & ORGANISATION : Local | Lifestyle | Work | Social | Induction
Relocation officer business case: Scotland (Highland)
Development ProcessFrom evidence gathered duringthe Recruit and Retain project theneed for a relocation officer rolewas highlighted and a businesscase for this sustainable solutiondeveloped.
The business case is applicableacross the public sector andthroughout the different countries.The case specifies the officer’srole and the organisationalimplications of this development.
Product DescriptionThe business case includes; asummary of the service proposed,the current situation, the potentialbenefits to staff, the technical andstaff requirements, the results ofthe evaluation, the potentialimpacts of the development,projected timescales, legal, ethicaland social issues, cost implicationsand a full SWOT analysis.
The business case has beenpresented to a multi-agency groupincluding stakeholders from healthand fire services, local council andan economic development agency.
Benefit andDisseminationThe main benefit of this innovationis that the early development workhas been completed. Potentialfunders can easily evaluate theapplicability for their organisation.Significant additional benefits ofthe relocation officer role aredetailed in the business case.
The business case is available todownload via the Recruit andRetain project website:www.recruitandretain.eu
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT David Heaney | 0044 (0)1463 255 892 University of Aberdeen, Centre for Health Science,Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 3JH
56 BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundOften recruitment actions aresporadic and uncoordinated; theaim of the Recruitment Officer is togive the recruitment and retentionof staff a focus within theorganisation and a centralisedcoordination point. TheRecruitment Officer is a qualifiedindividual, who specialises in thechallenges and opportunities thatexist in remote and rural areas.The recruitment officer is in chargeof the development andimplementation of recruitment and retention strategies and isemployed to bring continuity to the process.
ADMINISTRATION & ORGANISATION : Local | Recruitment strategy | Work | Leadership sparring | Induction
Recruitment Officer: Greenland
Development ProcessIn Greenland a Recruitment Officerwas employed on a 1.5 yearcontract to trial the effectivenessof the position. This employee wasalso involved in the Recruit andRetain project.
From work carried out by theRecruitment Officer and evidencefrom the Recruit and Retainquestionnaire and interviews, it isrecognised that recruitment is oneof the main challenges in remoterural areas and a central point ofcontact is needed to coordinatethis effectively.
Product DescriptionA job description has beendeveloped and the role pilotedand evaluated. The focus pointsfor the recruitment officer are:
Development andimplementation of a recruitmentand retention strategy.
Overall coordination ofrecruitment and retentionactivities.
Coordination andimplementation of marketingstrategies.
Seek out and network with otherhealthcare institutions withsimilar challenges.
Benefit andDisseminationThe role of the Recruitment Officerhas been developed, piloted andevaluated. A business case for therole has been developed, basedon this learning, and is available toother organisations wishing toimplement such a role.
CONTACT Department of Health and Prevention | [email protected] Personaleadministrationen,3900 Nuuk, Greenland
57
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
Background
The use of financial incentives as ameans to attract job applicants isquite common in the private sector,but has also been consideredsomewhat controversial as one maysuspect candidates to accept a jobproposal solely motivated by theextra cash offered, rather than theactual position and workplace itself.
Evidence from the Recruit andRetain questionnaire and thesemi-structured interviews showthat a good salary is important forrecruitment, but must beconsidered alongside otherincentives such as social inductionand professional development.
ADMINISTRATION & ORGANISATION : Promotion | Colleague | Work place environment | Bonus | Financial incentive
Sign on fee: Norway
Development Process
A “sign-on fee” is a servicedesigned to get employeesactively engaged in recruiting newcolleagues to their own unit in theorganisation. The employees mustshow a positive attitude to theirworkplace and promote it in orderto attract new recruits. Thisservice is therefore a means ofimproving the workplaceenvironment whilst working with filling staff vacancies. The employees must also focuson the positive aspects of workingand living in rural areas toencourage people to relocatefrom urban centres.
When accepting a job offer to afull-time position the new recruit isoffered a sign-on fee of NOK10,000. As a means of retainingthe new recruit, he/she is offeredan additional retention bonus afterclinical placement of 18 months.The employee who hassucceeded in recruiting a newcolleague to the unit will receive a cash sum bonus of NOK 10 000.The amount will be issued afterthe new recruit has completed the mandatory trial period of six months.
CONTACT
58
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
Finnmark Hospital TrustSykehusveien 35, 9613Hammerfest, [email protected]
Benefit andDisseminationThe sign-on fee was trialled at theMedical unit at Hammerfest hospitalto recruit new nursing staff. Duringthe trial period between Octoberand March three nurses wererecruited to full-time positions bytwo employees, entitling all fiveindividuals to a cash bonus each.The service is also used incombination with a buddyingprogramme to enhance socialintegration in the work place. There has also been an increase ofjob applicants to the Medical unitduring recent months resulting in areduction in recruitment challengesto the unit. The service is alsobeing viewed as a supplement to the new job advertisement strategy promoting the workplaceand rural area in a new and morepositive way.
More information about the systemand how it was implemented isavailable on the Recruit and Retainwebsite: www.recruitandretain.eu
BACK TO CONTENTS
59
SERVICE DELIVERY : Education | Rural clinical places | Young doctors
Increase the number of general practitionertrainee doctors in rural areas: Iceland
Development ProcessHaving young physicians in therural health care programme,organised by the Ministry ofWelfare, in the rural hospitals andrural primary health care centreshas shown to be beneficial to boththe young physicians themselvesand also to the staff working atthose institutions. SubsequentlyAkureyri Hospital, Akureyri HealthCare Centre and the Health CareCentre at Egilsstaðir in the east ofIceland have engaged in aprogramme to support youngdoctors in the GP programme.
The aim is to increase thenumbers of clinical posts in thispart of the country enabling moreyoung physicians to participate inthe Rural Health Care Programme.From 2013, 12 such study postsare being financed by the Ministry of Welfare, 6 in the ruralareas. Twice monthly a group ofmentors and supervisors from theAkureyri Hospital.
CONTACT
Benefit andDisseminationThis has been welcomed widelyas there is an opportunity toincrease the number of GP doctortrainees in rural areas aiming torecruit them in the future in therural areas. Through directengagement with the Ministry ofWelfare and health serviceproviders in the north and eastthere is a great potential forclinical placements across theareas as well as it diminishes theworkload of understaffed ruralhealth care centres.
Guidelines about how to increasethe trainee posts are indevelopment and will be availablefrom the Recruit and Retain projectwebsite: www.recruitandretain.eu
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BackgroundIt has been difficult to recruitgeneral practitioners in ruralhealth care in Iceland, particularlyover the last 10-20 years. Too fewyoung doctors specialise in healthcare in rural areas; increasingplacement opportunities in thenorth and east of Iceland enablesmore young doctors to undertaketheir training in this part of thecountry and develop their skillsand gain interest in this area ofspecialisation. It also helpsdiminish the workload ofunderstaffed rural health careinstitutions.
Hildigunnur Svavarsdottir 00354 4630100 [email protected] | Akureyri Hospital | www.fsa.is
The cooperation betweenall concerned has provento provide excellenttraining and theprogramme has receivedrecognition from both theMinistry of Welfare and therural physician community.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundIn Greenland we do not educatehighly specialised health carepersonal and as a consequence wehave to recruit the majority of ourprofessional workforce fromoverseas. As in other rural areas wealso have difficulties retaining thesespecialists.
One solution we have developed toaddress this is to introduce arotation scheme. In collaborationwith large urban hospitals inDenmark we have arranged for theurban hospital to provide aconstant supply of three monthreplacements that overlap eachother. This provides Greenland withthe needed specialists, whoprovide knowledge and skills forcolleagues already in Greenlandand create units in urban centres inDenmark where the staff becomeskilled in taking on rural challenges.The benefit for the urban partner isemployee branding and they hirean extra employee.
SERVICE DELIVERY : Personal and professional challenge | Employee branding | Urban/Rural cooperation | Rotation
Rotation scheme: Greenland
Development ProcessWe involved two differentintensive care units from largeDanish hospitals. In one unit wetested a system which providedcheap housing and the other unithad more expensive housing butof a good quality, a view and roomfor a partner. The first schemecollapsed and subsequently wehave designed a scheme whichincludes pre travel information and a local Greenlandic employeeas a mentor/buddy for the rotating employees
Product DescriptionThe urban partner covers a fulltime position in the rural area.
Staff rotate every three months
No higher salary than unionagreement
Provision of good housingconditions
A local nurse is assigned as a“mentor/buddy” to the staffemployed in this scheme.
Benefit andDisseminationThe benefits are have beenrewarding. The time spent onrecruitment for local managementhas reduced considerably in theparticipating units. The rotatingstaff have also proved veryeffective in supporting andencouraging recruitment of shortterm substitutes. This schemecould potentially be used by allpublic services or industries thathave large urban counterparts and require externally trainedspecialists.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT Department of Health and Prevention | [email protected] Department of Health and Prevention,Personaleadministrationen, 3900 Nuuk,
60 BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundFor a number of years many publicsector services in peripheral areashave faced challenges of workingin isolation. This project has joinedup a number of those servicesalong the border region of Irelandto provide enhanced responses toRoad Traffic Collisions and help inthe retention of highly skilledpersonnel.
SERVICE DELIVERY : Retention | Agencies | Multi-sectoral | Collaboration
Driving change through cooperation between frontline services: Ireland
Development ProcessThe Cooperation and WorkingTogether (CAWT) partnershipidentified potential for facilitating aforum which would set out anumber of practical initiatives toenable fire and rescue staff andother emergency services to workbetter together across bothjurisdictions. Agencies incollaboration included Departmentof Health, Social Services andPublic Safety, Department ofEnvironment Community andLocal Government, NorthernIreland Fire and Rescue Service,Border County Fire Authorities,Dublin Fire Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service,Electricity Supply Board Irelandand CAWT. Targeted informationsessions were delivered toimprove inter-agency and multi-sectoral working.
Benefit andDissemination
Through the work of this initiative,it has ensured improvements toemergency service responses toRTC’s, identified best-practiceapproaches and developed amechanism for shared learning & education for fire fighters inboth jurisdictions.
Another key outcome has beenthe removal of barriers torecruitment which enablespotential to work in bothjurisdictions.
Further details on the Driving Change programme are available by accessing:
http://www.publicachievement.com/Driving-Change.aspx
CONTACT Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
61
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
The Driving Changeprogramme involvedstructured training for firepersonnel in standards ofextrication, incidentmanagement and casualtyhanding at the scene of an incident.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundThis strategy for improvingconnectivity and performance ofbroadband has been identified tohelp health care professionals andother public sector professionalsobtain high quality internet accessat facilities in rural areas includingtheir residential addresses.
INFRASTRUCTURE : Broadband | Re-engineering | Fibre rich | Investment
Improved broadband for rural areas: Northern Ireland
Development ProcessThrough a consultation process, areview was conducted of ruraladdresses experiencing poorbroadband to identify whereintervention was needed.Evidence from the Recruit andRetain project also contributedtowards this information,particularly through the interviewphase. Subsequently as a result ofthese studies the Minister forDepartment of Enterprise, Tradeand Investment has in earlyFebruary 2014 announced acollaborative investment of £23.5million towards re-engineering thetelecoms network in makingbroadband services more widelyavailable to citizens irrespective of where they reside or operatetheir businesses.
Benefit andDisseminationBy the target timeline ofDecember 2015 for projectcompletion, health careprofessionals and other publicsector workers in rural areas willhave the ability to access a fibrerich, open access network. Thiswill enhance the ability of Trustsand other public sector agenciesto attract in high quality personnel,particularly in the medicalprofession and their families towork and live in those areas.
The outcome of the consultationprocess can be obtained from:
www.detini.gov.uk/deti-telecoms-index/deti-telecoms-whats-new.htm
62
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
Government investmentwas received towards re-engineering the telecomsbroadband network.
Professionals will have theability to access a fibre rich,open access network.
Telecomms Branch,Department of Enterprise,Trade & Investment forNorthern Ireland
www.detini.gov.uk
BACK TO CONTENTS
63
INFRASTRUCTURE : Retention | Specialised | Scarce | Partnership
Clinical expertise to rural areas through tele-robots: Ireland
Development ProcessEvidence through the Recruit andRetain project identified thathospital facilities remotely locatedfrom the larger urban tertiarycentres could benefit from expertadvice. Through a business caseprocess, Cooperation andWorking Together (CAWT)partnership secured funding forthe procurement of two tele-robots which are to be positionedin hospital facilities.
The procurement process isunderway, facilitated by CAWT, tosign off specifications inconjunction with key stakeholdersfor purposes of advertising fortenders to enable theappointment of a successfulsupplier of this highly advancedtechnical equipment.
CONTACT
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BackgroundMany health care facilities inperipheral areas struggle toprovide key services due totheir inability to attract and fundhighly specialised personnel.Bringing scarce clinicalexpertise to rural areas throughtele-robotic equipment is a keyway of retaining vital servicesand offering 24-hour support tootherwise vulnerable staff in thedelivery of care. It provides aplatform for a specialist toproject him/herself to theremote location and to see,hear and talk as though theywere actually there.
Two hospital facilities in thecross border region ofIreland/Northern Ireland are toreceive a tele-robot which willbe controlled remotely fromother locations.
The target groups of staff arethose working in intensive careor high dependency units wheresenior clinical support is notalways readily available on site.Without this initiative, patientservices would bedisadvantaged and possiblyremoved from the facilities.
Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
Benefit andDisseminationThe audio visual technologycreates a virtual environmentbetween the specialist andthe remote locationaudience. This will help in theretention of key services inremote or peripheral facilitiesand will enable crucialdecisions to be taken inrelation to patient care.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundRecruitment to the Health andSocial Care sectors in remote ruralareas is a challenge. The WesternIsles of Scotland also faces an outmigration of young people. Oneapproach to help combat this isthe development of a CareerFramework tool, providing currentstaff and potential employees anoverview of the range of careeroptions and pathways across theHealth and Social Care sectors inthe Western Isles of Scotland.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT : Framework | Pathways | Career options | Pathway tool | Qualifications | Health | Social care
Career framework: Scotland (Western Isles)
Development ProcessA visual was developed jointly bystaff from the Health and SocialCare sectors within the WesternIsles. Input and advice was soughtfrom staff within the Educationsector, local College and localSkills Development Scotland. The tool was piloted with schooland college staff and students,Careers Advisors and staffworking within both sectors. The document is currently beingfurther reviewed to ensure that itaccurately reflects the newScottish Curriculum for Excellence.
Product DescriptionThe Career Framework describesthe career and educationprogression pathways for Healthand Social care careers within theWestern Isles. Individuals can usethe pathway to view the variety ofposts and the vocational andacademic qualificationsassociated with them. It illustratesthe transferability of skills andexperience both across andbetween the sectors. This enables employers, employeesand potential employees toidentify the qualifications requiredfor different roles, plan careerdevelopment and the acquisitionof necessary qualifications tosupport their careers.
Benefit andDisseminationThe aim of the jointly developedcareer pathway tool is to supportthe recruitment and retention of asustainable rural communityworkforce across the Health andSocial care sectors throughout theWestern Isles. The tool supportsdiscussions about health andsocial care careers in a number ofways and settings. In schools andcolleges the visual tool helps todescribe to the young people therange of job options available tothem across the sectors, thequalifications required, and theoptions for gaining them. Withinorganisations it supportsconversations with staff aboutcareer development and training.The tool can also be used as partof marketing and publicity materialwhen advertising posts – at careers fairs etc.
The tool is available from theRecruit and Retain website:www.recruitandretain.eu
64
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT Deanne Gilbert | NHS Western Isles, Laxdale Court, Laxdale, Isle of Lewis, HS2 OGS
BACK TO CONTENTS
65
CAREER DEVELOPMENT : Education | Ageing | Remote | Retain
Further education for home care personnelin remote areas: Ireland
Development ProcessThe Recruit and Retain projectthrough the initial status reportidentified a projected increase inthe older population which willbecome more heavily reliant inpublic sector services. Withvarious strategies such as“Transforming Your Care” inNorthern Ireland promoting a shiftof client care out of secondaryhealth care facilities into their ownhomes, as far as practical, theneed was identified to establish astructured programme of modulestaught to a group of home carepersonnel on a part time basisover a 6 month period. This hasbeen a highly successfulprogramme with approximately 50personnel from remote areas ofIreland enrolled, taught and
CONTACT
assessed to the extent they havethe first two modules completed.The impetus would be for theHealth Service Executive alongwith the Quality and Qualificationsfor Ireland (QQI) to sustain thecourse towards attainment ofHealth Service Skills Certificatethus enabling participants to work as Health Care Assistantsworking under the direction of a registered nurse.
Benefit andDisseminationThe key benefit of this course is tobolster the knowledge and skillbase of home care personnel inan effort to retain existingpersonnel and offer incentives toambitious individuals into thehome care service in rural areas.The course details are available atthe following links:
http://www.recruitandretain.eu/uploads123/HCA_course_handbook_DoneGAL_2013.pdf
http://www.recruitandretain.eu/uploads123/Indicative_content_for_Care_Skills_Module.pdf.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BackgroundWith an ageing population whichis growing and requiring anincreasing level of home care inremote areas, there has been anidentified need for an educationand training programme to retainthe scarce and valuable resourceof home carers in the publicsector. This course has beenimplemented to equip ruralworkers in the home help fieldwith the necessary knowledgeand skills to assist nurses in thedelivery of patient care.
With a projected increase inthe older population, it isrecognised public sectorservices will be heavilyrelied upon in the future.
Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundData collected from the Recruitand Retain project showed thatnew and potential staff value highquality, easily accessibleinformation about both theorganisation and the socialaspects of moving to and living ina new rural area to support theirdecisions to apply for and accept posts. The information also highlighted the importance of supporting the new employees’ families to settle into life in the area.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT : Social | Buddying | Support | Families | Induction
Social Group: Scotland (Western Isles)
Development Process
A Social Group was set up by anumber of individuals from acrossthe organisation, led by the staffmembers involved, supported bythe organisation. Initially thisgroup was piloted across one areaof the organisation, with a view torolling it out across the otherisland groups.
A website was developed, hostinginformation and links to activitiesand groups within the organisationand the wider community. Thegroup organise and manageevents involving and encouragingstaff and family participation.
Information about the socialaspects of living and working inthe Western Isles has beendeveloped; this is sent to all newand prospective employees.
Product DescriptionAs part of the recruitment processinformation is sent to prospectiveemployees about the social group,plus information about the socialaspects of living in the WesternIsles, with links to schools,community information and otherrelevant information.
All staff attend the corporateinduction day, which gives staffthe opportunity to meet other newstarts, a chance to become aformal member of the socialgroup, information aboutupcoming social events and otherinformation specific to supportthat is available to staff within theworkplace. Managers are alsotrained on how to support staffeffectively during the Inductionperiod – including the importanceof social Induction for the newmember of staff and their families.
Benefit andDisseminationFeedback from staff during theInduction day, and during follow-up discussions and interviews withstaff at the 6 month anniversary ofjoining the organisation is used tofurther develop the Inductionprocess and inform the activity ofthe staff group.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
66
CONTACT Deanne Gilbert | NHS Western Isles, Laxdale Court, Laxdale,Isle of Lewis, HS2 OGS
Guidelines on how to set up a Buddying/Social groupare available on the projectwebsite:
www.recruitandretain.eu
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundRecruiting and retaining health careprofessionals in the rural areas ofIceland is difficult and therefore it isimportant to explore what actionsare needed to make it moreinteresting as a working place. Aninterdisciplinary group of health careprofessionals and academics innorthern and eastern parts ofIceland was established focusing onthis topic.
The aim of this group is to explorethe possibilities of supporting theexisting work of health careprofessionals in order to enhanceand support them and the healthcare services they provide in therural areas. The group also intendsto bring in new ideas to support theretention of health careprofessionals and explore avenuesto facilitate recruitment of healthcare workers in rural areas.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT : Scientific project | Medical student | Headline | ex-job | Resident physicians
Interdisciplinary rural group to enhance rural health care: Iceland
Development ProcessThe interdisciplinary rural grouphas been working on establishing acurriculum for a diploma course, ona master’s level, in rural healthcare. This course will be hosted bythe School of Health Sciences atthe University of Akureyri. The aimis to offer a venue for education ofnurses and doctors, working in therural areas focusing on practicalissues intertwined with academicrequirements. Existing courses likethe European ResuscitationCouncil courses in resuscitationand BEST (better and systematicteam training) for trauma workupwill be included in the programme.
Benefit andDisseminationThis interdisciplinary rural groupmeets twice a year; the main aimis to increase the influence of localstakeholders on policy making forrural health care and therebyenhancing and promoting thedevelopment of rural health care.Through direct engagement withhealth care professionalassociations and health serviceproviders in Icelandic rural areasthere is a great potential forenhancing rural health care thusfacilitating recruitment andincreasing retention of health careprofessionals.
Further details about setting up arural group are available fromwww.recruitandretain.eu
CONTACT Hildigunnur Svavarsdottir | 00354 4630100 | [email protected] | Akureyri Hospital | www.fsa.is
67
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
The interdisciplinary ruralgroup provides professionalsin the rural areas with a forumand an opportunity to preventprofessional isolation.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundFor those students that arealready in a serious relationship itis difficult to find initialemployment in the same town.This is particularly true in ruralareas where available jobopportunities are limited. In theseareas one is also prepared tocommute within a certain region.Our intention was to find a way inwhich two individuals with thesame or different educationalbackgrounds could look foremployment on equal terms i.e.both acquire jobs based on theirqualifications.
DOMESTIC & SOCIAL SUPPORT : Job in rural area | Job for two |Rural life | Lifestyle | Fishing | Hunting | Leisure | Couple recruitment
Couple recruitment: Sweden
Development ProcessCurrently there is nothingavailable to present jobopportunities in an area in a mapformat. Due to this it is difficult forsomeone who is not overly familiarwith the geography to see thepossibilities within a commutingregion. We have developed a toolthat enables multiple searches for job opportunities within aspecific area.
Product DescriptionBased on Google Maps, a mapfunction was developed tosupport couple recruitment. This function allows a search forsuitable employment, usingcriteria such as professi onal groupand commuting distance.
Benefit andDisseminationFilms and additional informationare available at the web tool:www.uinnorth.se
68
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT AKMC | Umeå University hospital, Sweden
BACK TO CONTENTS
69
DOMESTIC & SOCIAL SUPPORT : Job in rural area | Rural life | Lifestyle | Fishing | Hunting | Leisure | Schools rural area
Focus on young family members: Sweden
Development ProcessWe interviewed young familieswith the aid of Upper SecondarySchool media students and havedeveloped a number of filmspresenting young familiesspeaking about their lives in rural areas.
CONTACT
Product DescriptionThe project has produced anumber of films with themes ofinterest for younger families i.e.swamp soccer, arm wrestling,fishing, singing, watercross etc.The movies have been made withthe aid of Upper SecondarySchool media students in the area.
Benefit andDisseminationFilms and additional informationare available at the web tool:www.uinnorth.se
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BackgroundTo many people living andworking in a rural area seems verydifferent, in many aspects, fromthat of urban areas. Professionally,as well as socially, there are bothpros and cons.
To consider establishing oneselfand family in a rural areaindividuals and their families needinformation about bothprofessional and social life. Asprofessional recruitment is usuallyaimed at individuals with a careerthere is a need to also ensure thatthere is information for theirfamilies to support decisionmaking to move to an area.
Our starting-point was to developinformation based on the youngfamily’s perspective.
Centre of Rural Medicine | Backgatan 2, 92332 Storuman, Sweden
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundHistorically the western area ofIreland has experiencedchallenges in filling a number ofmedical vacancies. Suchdeficiencies were highlightedthrough the evidence gatheringprocess of the Recruit and Retainproject. This product sets out anattractive programme for theplacement of an additional trainingdoctor position at a peripheralacute hospital facility byincorporating EmergencyMedicine with other disciplines.
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Training | Emergency care | Ambitious | Clinical exposure
Training for challenging positions: Ireland
Development ProcessIn conjunction with seniorpersonnel at the Western Health &Social Care Trust a proposal wasdeveloped to implement aprogramme that incorporatedEmergency Medicine withAnaesthesia at South West AcuteHospital, Enniskillen and waspresented to the Northern IrelandMedical and Dental TrainingAgency (NIMDTA) forconsideration.
The proposal included factualinformation on service delivery,design of facilities, equipment,departmental adjacencies,supervision and patient activity levels.
Benefit andDisseminationThis training programme wouldprovide an opportunity for highquality ambitious medicalpersonnel on a career pathway togain excellent clinical exposure tocomplex cases, access to moderntechnology in equipment, systemsand help develop their skillsproficiently in emergency care. Italso ensures a postgraduateplacement strategy for peripheralhealth care facilities, especiallythe more challenging disciplines.Engagement has been ongoingwith NIMDTA in terms of exploringthis opportunity plus otheraccredited proposals which wouldencourage doctors to peripheralfacilities and work towards anequitable allocation of medicaltraining across the region.
A set of summarised guidelines fordeveloping similar proposals areavailable from the Recruit andRetain project website:www.recruitandretain.eu
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
70
The western area of Irelandhas historically experiencedrecruitment challenges.
The programme would offerprofessionals excellentclinical exposure, anddevelop their emergencycare skills.
CONTACT Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundIn remote and rural areas, clinicalencounters during out of hours areoften conducted by GeneralPractitioners or nursing staff takingon extended roles. This settingrequires an extended set of skillsand clinical management ofproblems unique to rural areas.The secondary care setting (inhospital, out of hours) requiresGeneral Practitioners to take onextended roles that they are not conventionally trained for;acute care competencies are not required in the latter years of General Practitioner Specialist training.
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Scenario | Training | Learning | Knowledge | Rural
Rural-proof multidisciplinary scenario training:Scotland (Western Isles)
Development ProcessThe aim was to develop aninnovative suite of problem basedlearning scenarios which wouldsupport our local Out of Hoursteam to develop the knowledgeand skills to provide front line carein a rural setting. Initially the staffdelivering the out of hours servicewere asked to complete aquestionnaire asking for theirviews on the most challengingaspects of service delivery. As aresult, and in collaboration with anexperienced Associate Advisor, asuite of scenarios was compiled.The initial pilot sessions consistedof a multidisciplinary teamincluding: General Practitioners,Nurse Practitioners andAmbulance Paramedics.
Product DescriptionThree scenario cases weredeveloped, concentratinginitially on Paediatricemergencies. Guidelines fordeveloping and using scenarioswere also developed. Theseguidelines concentratespecifically on how to considerrural issues when implementingClinical standards and “BestPractice” guidelines.
Benefit andDisseminationResults from the pilot showed thatstaff felt comfortable in taking part insmall group scenario working, itstrengthened their knowledge andskills and helped to develop teamworking and relationships betweenambulance services, acute andprimary care settings. The trainingwas well publicised to professionalswho are involved in emergency andgeneral healthcare. Staff attendingthe training expressed an interest indeveloping scenario learning into theirmandatory training sessions. Thescenarios and guidelines are availablefrom www.recruitandretain.eu
CONTACT Susan Macaulay, Emergency Nurse PractitionerWestern Isles Hospital, Macaulay Road, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
71
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundWorking as a general practitionerin rural areas often entailsdifferent challenges from thoseworking in urban environments.More often than not the supply offurther training is primarilyaccessible to general practitionersworking in cities. We wanted totest if education adapted toprimary care in remote areascould be made transnational andbenefit several countries.
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Job in rural area | Education | Ultrasound | Primary care | Rural life | Lifestyle | Network
Exchange of education and networking: Sweden
Development ProcessUltrasound as a tool worksperfectly well for general medicinein rural areas. In Scandinaviatoday there is no suitableultrasound diagnostic educationavailable for general practitioners.We searched within the NPP areaand located a certified programmein Scotland. A general practitionerfrom Sweden undertook theScottish programme; herevaluation stated that itadequately delivered therequirements that Scandinaviangeneral practitioners have forultrasound education. Swedishinterest in this pilot training washuge and subsequently theindividuals responsible for theeducation in Scotland were invitedto Sweden to deliver a pilotprogramme during 2013. Theevaluation was 5.4 on a maximumscale of 6.0.
Product DescriptionNorthern county councils inSweden have decided topurchase ultrasound equipmentfor use in primary care. Theeducational concept will bebought from Scotland.
Roll out of this training for generalpractitioners in Sweden startsduring the fall of 2014. We havealready received inquiries ofparticipation from severalScandinavian countries, includingDenmark.
Benefit andDisseminationThe education is expected toincrease the appeal of becoming ageneral practitioner in remoteareas and fits well into thetrademark operations taking placein rural medicine in Sweden.
The education will be marketedusing the web tool:www.uinnorth.se
72
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
CONTACT Centre of Rural Medicine | Backgatan 2, 92332 Storuman, Sweden
BACK TO CONTENTS
73
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Audiology | Education | Institute | Development
Academic masters level programmein audiology: Ireland
Development ProcessEvidence from the Recruit andRetain project was presented tothe Health Service Executive (HSE)in early 2013 which correlated witha national review of the professionwhich identified variousrecommendations. Subsequentlythe HSE engaged with the HigherEducation Authority (HEA) to trawlfor expressions of interest fromuniversities or colleges for thedelivery of a two-year full timeMasters degree programme inaudiology.
CONTACT
As a result of this process, theUniversity College of Cork (UCC)has been selected as thepreferred institute and discussionsare in motion with a view to formalcommencement of theprogramme from September 2015.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BackgroundThe profession of audiology inIreland has always been difficult torecruit into especially as, untilnow, no education institute Northor South has delivered a suitablyaccredited audiology programme.This two-year Masters programmeenables ambitious individualswanting to specialise in audiologyto have a recognised qualificationas well as developing their skillsand expertise into a specialistprofession. It will also help preventthe migration of talent outside theisland.
An important aspect of the course is therecognition it has received from both the IrishAcademy of Audiologists and the BritishAcademy of Audiologists from which thecourse director is matching the respectivecriteria to the programme content.
Wesley Henderson | [email protected] (0)7795 274192
Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT)partnership, Northern Ireland | www.cawt.com
Benefit andDisseminationThis has been welcomed widelyas there is an opportunity todevelop home grown talent into aprofession which has beenpredominantly difficult to resource.Through direct engagement withUCC and health service providersthe CAWT partnership hasidentified significant potential forstudent placements across thejurisdictions as well as a platformfor existing audiologists toparticipate in continuousprofessional development.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundThis fact sheet provides guidancefor the development and provisionof a Rural Fellowship programmefor health workers to access post-qualification training remotely frommajor teaching centres.
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Education | Post-qualification | Support | Training
Academics for rural areas: Scotland (Highland)
Development ProcessA review of the Rural Fellowshipprogrammes was provided byNHS Education for Scotland formedical and dental practitionersworking in remote and rural areas.This provided data on thedemographics, costs, retention ofFellows and their attitudes toremote and rural working.Retention rates were over 70%.These data were used to developa protocol for the establishment ofpost-qualification trainingprogrammes.
Benefit andDisseminationThe protocol and associatedacademic paper provideinformation about mechanisms ofsupport that can be used toenable remote and rural healthworkers to access relevantcourses. The information isavailable to all participatingcountries and agencies.
The protocol is available on theRecruit and Retain website andthe paper has been submitted forpresentation at an internationalacademic meeting.
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
74
The protocol is available asa guidance sheet for settingup and running a RuralFellowship programme.
Visit the Recruit and Retainproject website for furtherinformation:www.recruitandretain.eu
CONTACT Dr I M Madden | [email protected] NHS Education for Scotland, Centre for HealthScience, Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 3JH
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundIn Sweden all medical students,resident physicians and GP traineesmust carry out scientific projects atvarious times throughout theircareers. Although there is a largeamount of research on medicineand health care in general, researchon primary health care has beenneglected and research on ruralmedicine is very sparse. The Recruitand Retain data collection processinformed us that one factor thatpotentially hinders the recruitmentand retention of medical staff torural areas is that there is littleacademic attention directed towardsthese areas. By presenting relevantscientific projects, with rural topics,to medical students and residentphysicians we aim to make ruralhealth care both more interestingand better understood. This processalso helps to provide opportunitiesto establish personal contacts withpotential future colleagues.
EDUCATION & TRAINING : Scientific project | Medical student | Headline | ex-job | Resident physicians
Scientific projects database: Sweden
Development ProcessRecruit and Retain data gatheringtold us that for medical studentsand residents, when choosing aplace to work, opportunities forprofessional development are oneof the major deciding factors.Within the Centre for RuralMedicine in Storuman (CRM) areasof interest for scientific researchthat are relevant for rural healthcare practice are continuouslybeing investigated, with thepurpose of creating scientificproject plans suitable for a widevariety of healthcareprofessionals’ projects. Thisincludes actively collecting ideasfor research, making contact withrelevant areas within theUniversity to help processing theideas into appealing projects andpresenting the projects tostudents and residents.
Product DescriptionWe have developed a readilysearchable project database ofscientific and developmentalprojects within rural medicine, usinginformation from health carepersonnel in Southern Lapland. Wehave collected more than sixtyproject plans in various stagesranging from initial ideas tocompleted projects. Not all of theseprojects are directed solely towardsmedical students and residents; weaim to engage different healthprofessionals and students in furtherdevelopment. The service alsoincludes providing for thesupervision of the students, withhelp from relevant institutions.
Benefit andDisseminationThis service will enhancerecruitment to rural areas andby giving academic focus onrural medicine it could helpdeveloping and improving ruralhealth care. The concept couldbe used across and betweenrural areas and preferablyexchange of project plansbetween partners as well asprojects conductedsimultaneously in cooperationbetween partners.
There is a link to the Swedishproject database from the webtool: www.uinnorth.se
CONTACT Centre of Rural Medicine | Backgatan 2, 92332 Storuman, Sweden
75
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
BACK TO CONTENTS
BackgroundPotential employees to remote andrural environments need accurate,relevant and up to date informationto enable them to make aninformed decision about whether tomove from an urban to ruralenvironment. Such information mustbe specific to the remote and ruralarea and provide sufficient detail tobe of real value. The internet is themost readily accessible place forsuch information, and aprogrammable web tool is theobvious format choice. Such a toolshould include information abouteverything from specialised work tohobbies and cultural events.
THE WEB TOOL : Rural life | Job opportunities | Lifestyle | Fishing | Hunting | Leisure | Couple recruitment
Web tool: Sweden
Development ProcessThe need for a tool, in the form ofa web page with developedfunctionality, became apparentduring the evidence gatheringcomponent of the Recruit andRetain project. Separatecomponents of the web tool havebeen developed in response toneeds expressed not only by thedeveloping partner, Sweden, butfrom input from all other partners.The web tool has been designedand created by a commercialcompany (Pondus kommunikationAB) in conjunction with theSwedish partner.
Product DescriptionThe web tool contains modulebased presentations aimed atseparate target groups andincludes an interactive mapfunction. The tool can be used oncomputers, portable devices andmobile phones.
The tool contains informationabout living and working in ruralareas from both a professionaland a social perspective, it alsoincludes presentations of anarea’s commercial and industriallife. By entering the internationallinks section of the web tool jobopportunities in the rural areas ofany of the eight Recruit and Retainpartner countries can beaccessed. A series of short filmspresent an image of the rural area.The tool also has a Facebookpage linked to an internationalnetwork, and can be presented inseveral languages.
Benefit andDisseminationThe Swedish version of the tool isavailable at www.uinnorth.se
The films are available on YouTubeand have been viewed on manyoccasions.
The web tool, developed in WordPress, can be populated withlocally relevant information. It isopen sourced and available freeof charge to use, modify andadapt for individual use it isavailable by emailing:[email protected]
RECRUIT & RETAIN BUSINESS MODEL
76
CONTACT Centre of Rural Medicine | Storuman, Sweden | [email protected]
BACK TO CONTENTS
77
The core work of Recruit and Retain is in health care, butthe project has a group working in parallel to assess theapplicability of the solutions to the wider public servicesector. This is the Strategic Management Group.
Each partner has a Strategic Management Grouprepresentative and they approached 19 separate publicsector organisations :
Education (5)Local Government (4)Emergency Services (4)Social Services (3)‘Others’ (3)
They explored whether 26 of the 29 products andservices were considered applicable to particular publicservices.
Eight were specifically health care related solutions andwere of little relevance.
Eighteen were found to be relevant to the wider publicservice sector; the positive applicability of thesesolutions is 58%.
77 BACK TO CONTENTS
Product or service Yes no %
Promotional Films 15 1 94
Relocation officer business case 9 3 75
Information Booklet 12 6 67
Yearly wheel 7 4 64
Focus on young family members 7 4 64
Further education for home care personnel in remote areas 9 6 60
Buddying programme 9 7 56
Interdisciplinary rural group to enhance rural health care 5 4 56
Improved broadband for rural areas 6 5 55
Couple recruitment 8 7 53
Ten of these 18 solutions received >50% positive applicability:
Clearly in many circumstances what applies to health care is relevant to the wider publicservice sector as well.
For more information on the Recruit & Retain Business Model, please contact: NHS Western Isles, Health Board Offices, 37 South Beach Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland HS1 2BB | Tel: +44(0)1851704704 | Email:[email protected]
Creative: w
ww
.loujonesdesign.com
www.recruitandretain.eu
recruitretain
ruralcommunicationcommunity
transnational
partnership
supportdevelop
employmentprofessionals
Northern
strategy
educationstrategic
care
project
management
developed partners
professional
publicpositivebusiness
remote
networkingnetworking
students
specifysocial
relevant
activities
trainingisolation wider
strategies
opportunities
local
impactliving
workforce group
available
programme implementation
urban
plan
EU partner
initiatives
information
sustainable solutions
developmenthealth
productsservices
quality
@recruitnretain NPPrecruitandretain