Efficiency: where NHS recruitment transformation pays off

When it comes to transforming recruitment in the NHS, it all comes back to one thing.

It's not just about doing things differently – they're about doing things better and faster.

Which brings us to efficiency.

Because in today's NHS, where budgets are tight, vacancies are high and demand never slows, efficiency isn't a bonus – it's a necessity.

It's not just about saving time – it's about transforming outcomes

Let's talk about what efficiency really means in recruitment.

It's not just shaving a few days off time-to-hire. It's about:

• Reducing agency spend by millions

• Getting new hires on the floor weeks sooner

• Freeing recruiters to focus on strategic tasks

• Improving compliance and consistency

• Cutting admin and avoiding duplicated effort

These are tangible outcomes that benefit not just recruitment teams, but frontline services, finance teams and – most importantly – patients.

The results speak for themselves. In the guide, we share examples like:

• NHS Property Services cutting average time-to-hire to 31 days

• Bellrock reducing agency fees by 75%

• Cornerstone Care bringing time-to-hire down from 90 days to under 3 weeks

• Citizens Advice cutting onboarding from 3–4 weeks to just 2 days

• Benenden Health halving the time candidates spend applying

These aren't marginal gains. They're transformative shifts.

Want the data behind these success stories? It's all in the guide.

What makes efficiency possible?

Efficiency is the result of getting the other five steps right:

1. Technology: You need modern, flexible systems that don't slow you down.

2. Data: You can't fix what you can't measure. Good data highlights inefficiencies before they become problems.

3. Candidate experience: When people can apply quickly and smoothly, you get more (and better) applicants – and lose fewer.

4. Onboarding: Delays post-offer are just as costly as delays pre-offer. A streamlined onboarding process protects your pipeline.

5. Collaboration: Shared systems and services cut duplication and unlock scale.

Efficiency is what happens when all these things work together – and when recruitment is seen not as a support function, but as a strategic driver of workforce performance.

Where's the real cost?

It's easy to underestimate how much inefficiency costs. But let's put it into perspective:

• A single agency nurse can cost a trust £350 per day

• If just 20% of 80,000 clinical vacancies require cover, that's £5.6 million a day spent on temporary staff

• Reducing time-to-hire by just five days across the NHS could save £28 million a year

These are not hypothetical figures – they're based on conservative estimates, and they add up quickly.

If your trust can bring recruitment timelines down, reduce dropout rates, or cut advertising and agency costs even slightly, the return on investment in better systems becomes clear – and often pays back in months, not years.

Transformation that sticks

Real transformation isn't just about process. It's about people.

One of the biggest takeaways from the trusts we work with is this: efficiency isn't something you impose. It's something your team builds – when they have the right tools, the right mindset and a clear goal.

That's why our approach isn't just about providing an applicant tracking system. It's about supporting NHS recruitment teams to change how they work – not just what they work with.

With built-in automation, dashboards, reminders, reporting, and onboarding workflows, our ATS removes friction, reduces time waste and helps recruiters focus on the work that really matters.

And that's what transformation looks like.

If you're ready to take the next step, everything you need is in the guide.

The NHS doesn't need to start from scratch

There's a growing body of evidence that transformation in NHS recruitment is not only possible – it's already happening.

We're working with trusts right now who are making these changes – including Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals and Leicestershire Community Partnership NHS Trust.

Every trust is different. But the challenges are shared. And the solutions are increasingly tried, tested and ready to implement.

If you're ready to make recruitment faster, fairer and more efficient – now is the time.

👉 Download the guide: Transforming Recruitment in the NHS
Six practical steps. One measurable impact.

Efficiency isn't the end goal – it's the outcome

When we talk about efficiency, we're not just talking about cutting corners or working harder.

We're talking about:

• Working smarter

• Delivering better outcomes

• Creating a recruitment experience that works for candidates, recruiters and clinical teams alike

That's what the NHS needs right now. And that's what transformation – when done properly – delivers.

Download the whitepaper: Transforming Recruitment in the NHS

Six steps to a better, faster, more human hiring experience.