Scheme gives unemployed chance to work for NHS

Unemployed
people across north and north-east Lincolnshire are being given an opportunity
by Yorkshire Forward to gain jobs and work experience with the NHS.

Following
the success of a pilot scheme in Leeds, Yorkshire Forward – an organisation set
up to help regenerate the area – is working with partners in north and
north-east Lincolnshire to give jobless people the opportunity of working in
the NHS.

They
will be given the opportunity through JobcentrePlus to take part in a ‘taster’
session lasting up to 20 weeks that will give them an insight into working for
the NHS, and the types of jobs on offer.

Up
to 200 people will have a chance to try out jobs such as receptionist,
admin/stores, general clerical, maintenance technician, blood collection and
pharmacy assistant in an effort to break the cycle of long-term unemployment.

It
is hoped many will go on to gain full-time employment, helping boost
recruitment within the NHS at the same time.

The
scheme mirrors a project at the Leeds Teaching Hospital that has seen 90 per
cent of people participating in the programme finding permanent work within the
organisation or in other local companies.

Yorkshire
Forward will contribute £131,000 towards the project, and work with north
Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust,
Jobcentreplus, north and north-east Lincolnshire Councils, north and north-east
Lincolnshire Primary Care Trusts, and Grimsby College to bring the same success
to the area.

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Simon
Dunn, employability manager for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS
Trust said: “Providing short-term access to work and training improves job
prospects of candidates and gives the NHS trust prospective new employees with
the basic skills they need, benefiting everybody involved.  Participants have an opportunity to learn
about the NHS and give feedback on the experience, and the trust can help them
to gain permanent employment at the end of the term.”

By Ben Willmott