The proportion of candidates flagged as a “cause for concern” during background checks in the UK healthcare sector has doubled since 2023, according to new research data. Currently, one in five applicants fails to pass initial screening, representing a sharp increase from 10% the previous year. All employers in the healthcare sector are expected to be checking immigration status and legal right to work as a bare minimum, and many also ask for enhanced DBS checks. Employers may also fact check CVs or application letters, screen social media, or request copies of professional qualifications.
The Importance of Thorough Background Checks
Employers use background checks as a key step in safeguarding the quality and security of health and social care services. Healthcare organisations, regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), are supposed to make sure that all companies check professional qualifications and registrations to make sure that workers have the necessary skills and experience for the role they are employed to do.
The exact checks done will vary from employer to employer, and will depend on the type of role and how senior the position. The most common checks carried out by employers in the healthcare sector include:
- Criminal history: Conducted by 66% of organisations.
- References: Checked by 60%.
- Address verification: Carried out by 59%.
- Right-to-work certification: Ensured by 56%.
Far fewer employers check the background of a candidate by running their name through Google, or looking at their social media. The surprising figure here is that only 56% of organisations are doing Right to Work checks, given that it is legal requirement to verify identity and immigration status of those working in the UK. It could be that people are checked by an agency before applying to specific employers, or that they have been granted a visa to undertake a specific position in the UK so that checking has already been completed.
The Pressure to Fill Vacancies
The UK healthcare sector faces severe staffing shortages, which puts pressure on employers to complete vetting quickly and get people working as soon as possible. In England alone, NHS data reports over 112,000 vacancies, including a deficit over 40,000 nurses and over 8,500 doctors.
With 20% of candidates failing background checks, this translates to more than 22,000 unsuitable or unqualified applicants being delayed or rejected during hiring—a concerning figure given the urgent need for staff to deliver critical services.
Solutions to Vetting Failures
Those working in the sector have highlighted a lack of investment in IT systems over recent decades and pointed out that part of the reason that vetting is taking so long is that the process is still mainly manual rather than digital. Processes are generally standardised across the NHS and cannot be adapted to individual requirements when needed, and this can make the whole experience lengthy and inflexible for workers. The problem is that the process needs to be robust to make sure that unsuitable candidates are weeded out. It will be interesting to see how this develops, and whether the percentage of failed checks decreases.
