Widespread belief that healthcare experience is needed to work in the NHS is deterring IT professionals from applying for jobs. a poll has shown.
Yet clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and commissioning support units (CSUs) are increasingly sourcing non-NHS IT professionals, according to NHS IT recruitment company max20.
Although 94% of IT professionals polled would consider an IM&T career, 58%% feel they would not be suitable because of their lack of previous experience with the NHS.
Don Tomlinson managing director of IT NHS recruitment specialists max20 states: “The fact that NHS experience is often no longer a prerequisite to working in the organisation for many IM&T roles has not permeated the IT community. The message needs to be communicated.
“The IT communities within and outside the NHS still need to learn more about each other. There is a lack of communication and direct experience and so clichés and inaccurate views still persist.”
More than 10% of IT staff polled believed that the NHS did not offer competitive wages.
And 17% believe that NHS managers do not know how to deal with IT staff.
