Supporting unemployed graduates

Newly qualified graduates, particularly in England, are facing serious and unprecedented difficulties in trying to obtain their first junior physiotherapy post in the NHS. The problem, caused by a rapid expansion of student numbers, poor workforce planning and a shortage of junior posts, was first detected by the CSP in 2004.

By April 2007, nearly two thirds of all those physiotherapists graduating in 2006 had yet to find their first physiotherapy post or were on short-term contracts. The situation for 2007 graduates — of which there are around 2,500 — is just as bleak. A survey undertaken by the CSP in September 2007 revealed that 75% had yet to find any employment as a physiotherapist.

The CSP has been very proactive in trying to resolve this problem and we are continuing to raise our concerns at the highest level, including directly with the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

The position in England

English Social Partnership Forum Action Plan

The Social Partnership Forum Action Plan, Maximising employment opportunities for newly qualified healthcare professionals (77Kb PDF), was launched in April 2007 and has been widely publicised among CSP members. The CSP has played a key role in developing this plan, working closely with NHS Employers and the other NHS trade unions and professional bodies. CSP Senior Negotiating Officers from the Employment Relations & Union Services (ERUS) function are involved with local Strategic Health Authority (SHA) partnership groups which are to lead the work on implementing the action plan at local level.

Register for your local SHA talent pool

The SHAs have now set up website-based profile or talent pools which all 2006 and 2007 graduates are being asked to register with. When you register, you will be asked to sign up to the SHA which funded your training place, although you will be able to state which of the English SHAs you are prepared to work in. Your SHA will then be able to send you information about suitable jobs and other initiatives they are undertaking to help resolve the problem of unemployment among new graduates.

Kate Moran, the CSP’s head of employment relations research, can’t stress the importance of registering for the talent pools enough:

"I would urge all members affected to register with these talent pools for new graduates which are being run by the Strategic Health Authority which funded your training. The Department of Health and NHS Employers will be monitoring the numbers registered with the local pools and will use this information to assess how many are still looking for jobs and therefore how many new posts are needed. It is very important that you continue to re-register every three months if you have not found a job. The CSP is aware that some graduates have received little or no information after registering and that this is resulting in graduates not bothering to re-register with the pools. We have taken this up with NHS Employers and asked them to contact the SHAs to stress the importance of initiating and maintaining contact with registrants. Graduates: keep going – make sure you keep your registration up with the talent pools - we are pushing as hard as we can to get these working effectively."

The NHS Employers website has more information on the newly qualified profile or talent pools (external link). The NHS Choices site has a full list of Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), including contact details (external link).

The position in Wales

The CSP has lobbied the Welsh Assembly Government and received strong media interest and support from key policy makers. The Wales Minister for Health and Social Services has undertaken to review the link between workforce training and planning and has acknowledged the important role physiotherapists have to play in improving A&E services, supporting people with long term conditions in the community and preventing delayed discharges. CSP officers have met with the Minister to discuss solutions.

The position in Scotland

CSP officers have lobbied all political parties in Scotland on graduate unemployment. The Health Secretary has acknowledged the role of AHPs in reducing waiting times and is working with the CSP, NHS Boards and NHS Education Scotland to develop a national action plan which will ensure that the pool of unemployed physiotherapy graduates is tapped.

The position in Northern Ireland

A physiotherapy taskforce has been set up to establish solutions to the high levels of unemployment among new physiotherapy graduates and the CSP is represented on the taskforce. Questions about employment levels continue to be raised with ministers.

Help us to help you

The CSP is continuing to monitor employment levels among 2007 graduates so please reply to any surveys or requests for updates that we send you to make sure our information is as robust as possible to help with our lobbying and campaigning work.

Survival Guide

The CSP has produced a student 'survival guide' containing information and advice about action to take on graduation to help secure a job.