NHS automates graduate assessment process

The NHS has launched a graduate assessment process aimed at saving hours of senior managers’ time.

A popular choice for graduates, the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme attracts more than 6,000 applications every year. The scheme is open to post-graduate and mature students and those already working in the NHS.

The NHS asked occupational psychologists Pearn Kandola to design a process tht was less time-consuming for senior managers. The previous method was labour-intensive and relied on application forms, interviews and group exercises to identify candidates who should be invited to a final assessment centre.

The new assessment process uses cutting-edge recruitment technology: candidates are required to complete online situational judgement and motivational trait tests. These online tools allow thousands of candidates to be filtered effectively at the touch of a button.

Julie Ribbons, national resourcing manager for the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, said: “Managing the number of applications was becoming ever more time-consuming – we wanted to continue to improve the validity and reliability of candidate selection using innovative, cost effective and time-efficient methods so that the best candidates reached the final stage.”