Criticism from politicians and media means recruiting top managers for the NHS has become a major challenge as candidates opt for less exposed positions.
That’s according to a new report from the NHS Confederation, which represents more than 90 per cent of NHS organisations.
Management in the NHS: the facts reveals that the number of NHS managers has dropped by 6.5 per cent since 2005 and of the 1.3 million-strong NHS workforce, only 2.7 per cent are managers. Nurses make up a quarter of NHS staff and doctors 10 per cent.
Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: “As the fourth largest organisation in the world, employing 1.3 million staff with an annual budget of around £90 billion, you would expect high quality management to be valued. Yet, NHS manages are often derided and criticised by the media and politicians.
“It is important that managers are supported in what is a very complex and challenging role – not unnecessarily condemned and criticised because they are the easy target.
“The NHS Confederation believes that we must invest in senior leadership in the NHS so that we continue to attract the brightest and best management talent to the service.
“Increasingly, NHS organisations are finding it difficult to recruit people to the top jobs because of the pressure and exposed position people find themselves in.”
