Moray’s Innovative Recruitment Campaign Draws Nearly 200 Prospective Recruits in Liverpool

Published: 15/05/2024 20:48

Moray made a standout appearance at a national healthcare event held in Liverpool last week as the region took centre stage in a bid to bolster recruitment at Dr. Gray’s Hospital.

The move is part of an innovative recruitment campaign designed to attract new staff to the maternity service in Moray which will gradually move to a consultant led service over the next 2 years.

A team from NHS Grampian spoke to close to 200 potential new recruits at the Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference held in Liverpool on May 8-9. The team, including midwives from the local service, utilised innovative virtual reality (VR) technology to highlight the unique lifestyle and scenic beauty of Moray.

The VR showcase featured iconic local spots like Cooper Park, Lady Hill, Roseisle Beach, Lossiemouth Lighthouse and Califer Viewpoint, alongside a virtual tour of the historic Dr. Gray’s Hospital exterior.

The immersive experience was designed to promote Moray as an undiscovered gem within the UK, vividly depicting the quality of life and natural beauty the region has to offer. Attendees were also treated to local delicacies including samples from Walkers Shortbread, Baxters as well as the Scottish favourite, Tunnocks Teacakes, all designed to attract potential staff to engage with the recruitment team.

Jane Rait Midwifery Clinical Lead NHS Grampian (L) with Scotland's Chief Midwifery Officer, Justine Craig (R)
(left to right) Jane Rait Midwifery Clinical Lead NHS Grampian with Scotland's Chief Midwifery Officer, Justine Craig

"We’re overjoyed with how positively the team were received," said Jane Gill, Maternity Collaborative Project Manager.

"The level of interest it sparked among potential recruits easily surpassed all our expectations and we now have almost 50 people with the right skills identified who are interested in relocating to Moray. We’ll follow up with them all over the next few weeks. This an exciting and potentially a massive step forward, especially combined with the three new obstetrician consultants who started at Dr Gray’s recently and the other key staff who have come on board over the last few months."

This initiative is part of a larger ongoing recruitment campaign that kicked off earlier this year, marked by the launch of a dedicated website, wishyouworkedhere.scot and an extensive advertising campaign across Sky TV, BBC magazines, Google, social media and other platforms.

The campaign, which is being run as a collaboration between NHS Grampian and NHS Highland, has already attracted over 60,000 website visitors and nearly 300 enquiries from potential new recruits, sparking an upsurge of interest in the Moray area.

Jane also confirmed that the Moray recruitment efforts are set to continue and the team involved are already planning further showcases of the area to key healthcare staff, including at an event for anaesthetists next week and for nurses in June.

The VR showcase is available to via for anyone with a VR headset or compatible mobile phone at: https://www.wishyouworkedhere.scot/discover-moray/morayvr/