East Kent Hospitals staff star in new TV ad campaign

East Kent Hospitals staff are starring in a new national NHS recruitment campaign to hit the screens this week. Adverts will appear on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky channels, plus online and social media outlets from Monday 28 January.

The latest phase of the ‘We Are the NHS’ campaign was filmed at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital, William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, and Southampton Hospital in December. It focuses on recruiting more IT and support staff to the NHS.

Jon McKinlay, Head of Unified Communications for IT at East Kent Hospitals, who features in the advert said: “It’s great for the Trust to be chosen for the campaign and I’m really proud that the work of all my IT colleagues, in particular, gets noticed. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the NHS computer screens and keyboards and hopefully the campaign reflects that.”

Emily Headley, Outpatient Service Manager at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital is proud of her team, who also feature in the advert: “Our staff are our greatest asset and the NHS simply couldn’t function without effective administrative support staff. It can be easy to take these hidden heroes for granted. I’m delighted that this campaign gives our reception and appointment booking teams the opportunity to showcase the important work they do to keep essential lifesaving NHS services running smoothly.

“These staff are proud to work for the NHS and know that albeit in an indirect way, they are contributing to saving people’s lives. This campaign enables them to be recognised for this and I hope it encourages anyone considering a career in the NHS to apply.”

IT, digital and support roles have been identified as key non-clinical roles that have the highest number of vacancies and align with the NHS’s digital transformation plan.

The campaign will also feature some Associated Healthcare Practitioner (AHP) roles, such as orthoptists, therapeutic radiographers, podiatrists and orthotists.

This latest phase of the We Are the NHS campaign follows the biggest NHS nurse recruitment drive in its 70 year history which hit TV screens last summer.

Susan Acott, East Kent Hospitals Chief Executive, said: “It was a real honour to have been the Trust of choice when filming for the nurse recruitment campaign took place last summer as it highlighted just how amazing our staff are, and the work that they do.

“To be featured again is a fantastic opportunity for us to show the excellent work that is done by some of our staff who aren’t on the front line but are equally as important in helping us to deliver excellent patient care.

“I hope this next stage of the campaign will inspire more people to want to join the NHS and in particular come and work in east Kent.”

Staff from a wide range of teams were filmed or photographed for the follow-up ‘We Are the NHS’ campaign. This included:

Kent and Canterbury Hospital: IT teams, Thomas Beckett Dialysis Unit, Marlowe Ward, Invicta Ward, Operational Control Centre, Clarke Ward, Orthotics, Urgent Care Centre, Booking Office, Switchboard, Ophthalmology, Outpatient reception, Orthoptics, Information Team, Theatres and the Oncology Centre.

William Harvey Hospital: Pathology, Cardiac Care Unit, Barts Ward, Maternity, ITU, Operational Control Centre, Smart Card team and Podiatry.

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