NES’ recruitment process is detailed and rigorous. This is because we want our doctors to be fully prepared for the challenges that await them once they start work in one of our hospitals.

Many companies will promise a quick turnaround, but if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship, a Visa, GMC registration, occupational health clearance, a UK criminal records check and resuscitation qualifications in order to be able to start work, then ask yourself if the lead time you are being quoted is realistic.

At NES we have a good track record of doctors starting work on the date that is agreed months beforehand. This means that doctors can travel to the UK safe in the knowledge that they should not be sat without an income whilst they wait for certain checks to be completed.

The process that we follow is as follows:

• Submit your CV – This is then quickly checked by a Recruitment Consultant against entry criteria and the current requirements so that we can give you a straightforward answer as to you likely options. If your CV is accepted, you will be sent forms to complete with further information and your employment preferences.
• Medical English Screening Test – This is a simple online multiple choice test that enables both you and NES to ensure that your English language ability is where you need it to be in order to stand a good chance of being successful in your role. It’s as much an indicator for you as it is for us.
• Suitability Assessment – This is a telephone or Skype interview with one of our Medical Staffing Managers. They will ask you a lot of questions about your experience and the whole call could last up to 45 minutes, during which we will gain a great deal of information that will help us when it comes to assigning you to a hospital. It really helps us try to ensure a good match.
• Job Offer – The Medical Director or one of his clinical team will assess your CV and the information that has come out of your Suitability Assessment. If our criteria have been met then you will be offered a job and allocated a month when you will attend our training courses in the UK.
• Contract – Following the job offer you will be sent our contract of employment to read, review, sign and return.
• Documentation – Over the next few weeks our Recruitment Administration Team will be in regular contact with you to obtain the many documents that we need from you in order to make sure that all of our deadlines are met. Those that respond quickly and provide the requested information in full are far less likely to experience any hold-ups later in the process.
• Preparation – Concurrently with the above, we will be sending you the NES Training Passport. This requires you to undertake certain procedures under supervision and provides assurance that you will have recent experience of the skills you are likely to need to use in the UK. There is also some coursework that needs to be done in advance of arriving for the training courses. Doctors that complete all of this usually pass their training with distinction.
• Hospital Allocation – We will normally advise you of your actual hospital placement about 2 months before you are due to start. We do this so that there is less chance of a placement having to be altered due to the incumbent doctor changing his or her plans. When we allocate a hospital we try wherever possible to take your preferences into account.
• Travel plans – We will provide you with information to help you arrange your accommodation for the duration of your course week. We will also ask you to confirm your travel plans so that we can ensure one of our cars meets you on arrival to take you to your accommodation.
• Training – The week of courses at our Aylesbury Training Centre is hard work, intense and (according to the feedback we get) extremely rewarding. Prepare thoroughly, apply yourself fully and throw yourself into all of the scenarios and you will do very well. During this week you will also get to spend some one-to-one time with your Medical Staffing Manager, who will talk you through the next steps.
• Induction – All new NES doctors benefit from a settling in period at their new hospital. This allows you to spend up to a week getting to know the role, the hospital and the staff without the pressure of actually being on duty. After this, it’s down to work.

This detailed process has helped hundreds of doctors to successfully manage their introduction to their work in the UK. It is a system that has been developed over the years to the benefit of the doctors and has resulted in very few finding that ‘difficult first week’ too much to cope with.