Case Study: The University of Hertfordshire improves student nurse recruitment with NHS Employers

The University of Hertfordshire - Customer Case Study

The University of Hertfordshire wanted to make its recruitment of BSc Pre-Registration Nursing (Child) students more relevant and effective by involving the children who would ultimately use the service. Working with NHS Employers guidance and support, the university sought a way to assess candidates’ communication skills with young people while also giving children a meaningful voice in the process.

NHS Employers-supported recruitment process brought 9–11 year olds into structured interview panels: children were briefed in workshops, helped develop interview questions, and scored candidates alongside the university’s other selection criteria. The approach has been embedded for five years, with about 12 children involved each autumn and 2–3 selection days per child annually; candidate feedback was strongly positive, noting that the children’s involvement helped reveal how well applicants could communicate with children and whether they would make young patients feel comfortable.

The University of Hertfordshire