Recruitment research reveals workforce gaps
Since 2005, BMJ Careers has been essential in bringing job seekers and employers together within the healthcare sector. The team recently analysed nearly 33,000 consultant vacancies with NHS Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and consultant surveys to map NHS consultant recruitment. The resulting white paper, Consultant doctors: Solutions for a medical recruitment crisis, 96 found that one in three consultant posts were vacant in some parts of the NHS, negatively affecting staff morale and patient care. The report argues employers must be more strategic when advertising consultant vacancies, and includes real NHS case studies, such as North Cumbria's enhanced consultant job plan, which is already reducing vacancies. The findings were featured in The BMJ 97 and 17 other publications, and presented at the Civica TRAC user forum.
Our job boards in numbers (2025)
108,000 applications to healthcare jobs, including nearly 80,000 to medical jobs 2.2 million visits across BMJ Careers and BMJ Health Careers 12.8 million job alert emails sent Results for new subscribers in 2025 244% increase in job views 291% increase in job applications 80% reduction in cost per job posted
We knew there was a recruitment crisis. What we didn't know was that only 4% of consultants were actively looking for work. That changed the conversation.” Nigel Praities, Head of content, BMJ Careers
One of our recent successful appointments came directly from a candidate who saw the role advertised through BMJ Careers” Karen Panesar, Head of medical staffing, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK
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