Home > News > November 2004 > 30-Nov-2004

NHS uses online test to find future leaders

The NHS Leadership Centre has introduced a new online numerical reasoning test to cut the administrative time and cost of sifting around 6,000 applications for its three NHS Graduate Training Schemes.

Provided by assessment company PSL, the new test was introduced following a review of the recruitment process.

"Our Graduate Training Schemes are designed to produce the NHS Directors and Chief Executives of the future," said Fiona Maybin, Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator at the NHS Leadership Centre, which runs the Graduate Schemes.

"Numerical ability is one of a range of competencies that we test for during the selection process," she said. "Last year, we tested 1,500 candidates over a two week period. This year, we expect to test three times that number as we've moved the online test further up the recruitment process. We chose PSL's online test because it has greater compatibility with all of the major web browsers which should hopefully increase the accessibility and reliability of the tests."

Covering general management, financial management and HR management, the NHS's two to three-year Graduate Schemes lead to professional or post-graduate qualifications and open doors to management jobs throughout the service.

In 2005, the NHS Leadership Centre expects there will be 173 available places for graduate trainees, who will train in a variety of NHS organisations throughout England.

Candidates need a 2.2 degree in any subject to be eligible to apply. The vast majority apply online through the NHS Graduate Schemes' recruitment website at www.futureleaders.nhs.uk. The closing date for applications is December every year and the selection process runs from January to April.

After submitting an application, candidates who meet an initial set of criteria are invited, by e-mail, to complete PSL's Infinity Series numerical reasoning test via the Internet. Branded with the NHS logo, the 20-minute test offers a randomised selection of questions, to prevent any risk of overexposure or cheating.

"We ask candidates to complete the numerical reasoning test online because they can then choose the best time to sit it and it doesn't involve them travelling or taking time off work," said Fiona Maybin.

The test has been integrated with the NHS Leadership Centre's applicant tracking system. When candidates complete the test, their scores are automatically sent to the NHS Leadership Centre's database, where they can be viewed in a range of formats such as grades or percentiles.

PSL ran a training workshop for members of the NHS Graduate Schemes' response handling team, who provide telephone support to candidates completing application forms and tests. The training was designed to help them answer common questions from candidates about the numerical reasoning test.

After completing the numerical test, the candidates have to progress through two further stages of competency-based selection - including a group exercise, an interview and an assessment centre - before the final places are offered.

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