In response to this, in 2009, the Northern Deanery (now Health Education North East) launched a marketing campaign - Live and Train - to promote the region and the high quality training places on offer.
The evidence showed that through promoting the region (Live and Train campaign led by the Northern Deanery) and the training opportunities as a region this, over 3 year period, increased fill rate by 16% to over 90% and, in doing so, a £50k investment in promotional activity led to a £750k saving. This was based on reduced locum costs.
The non-financial benefits of filling permanent posts and reducing reliance on locums were of course far greater. Using this knowledge and expertise, alongside understand the context of centrally controlled recruitment activity, all provider Trusts in the North East and North Cumbria have come together to promote the region as an excellent region to train within the NHS as well as living.
Launched this week initial focus is on raising awareness. Within the coming weeks focus will be on content marketing ensuring medical trainees understand more about what you can do across the North East and Cumbria alongside promoting the fantastic facilities and opportunities there are to train in.
'Find your place' has been created as a vehicle to do this - see www.nhsfindyourplace.co.uk and adverts in the BMJ this week. you can follow us on Twitter @nhsfyp and on Facebook too. This will grow and evolve over time and will only get better...........