Creating new career opportunities through integration

Before the merger, both Trusts had relatively small medical workforces. We deliver our care primarily through nursing and allied health professionals. This means that we had limited support for doctors. We would use external providers to support our doctors.

With the creation of the new Trust, we had an opportunity to review how we support to our medical workforce. As a result of this review, we created a new role and specialist career pathway: the medical workforce HR business partner. This role and career pathway did not exist within either organisation.

Andy, formerly a deputy HR business partner, successfully applied for the position. He is playing a key role in strengthening support for our medical workforce.

In his new position Andy is:

• providing specialist advice
• improving workforce processes
• ensuring support is available for doctors and their managers to help them thrive
• supporting the medical workforce with their professional development

Andy's work creates a more positive environment for our doctors. It also improves the wellbeing, recruitment and retention of our medical teams.

The new position gives significant development opportunities to Andy and the wider HR team. 

For Andy, the new position helped to broaden his expertise and develop new skills. He took on the challenge of building a dedicated a Trust-wide in-house support service for doctors and their managers.

For the wider HR team, Andy's previous position enabled the promotion of a colleague. They filled his previous position.

Through creating our new Trust we’ve been able to:

• create new career pathways
• develop specialist expertise
• strengthen our available support to colleagues

This benefits individual career development and the long-term sustainability of our workforce.