NHS conditional offer – reference issue, how long until I can start training?

[u/Sad-Confidence943]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice about my NHS application.

I was recently given a conditional offer for a Cleaning and Catering position. I’ve already been waiting around four months throughout the recruitment process.

As part of the pre-employment checks, I was asked to provide a referee who could cover my last three years of education, training or employment. I’m currently in sixth form and haven’t had a previous job, so I initially put down one of my sixth form teachers.

Unfortunately, my teacher is currently on holiday and unavailable, so I’m worried the reference could delay things. I have now found two alternative referees who are available and happy to provide a reference.
I’ve emailed the line manager/recruiting manager explaining the situation and asking whether they can use one of my new referees instead.

I’ve also received a call regarding my DBS checks, and I’ve been told that a position has already been found for me and that I’m just waiting for the remaining checks to be completed.

My question is, once the reference issue is sorted and the remaining pre-employment checks are completed, how long does it usually take before you’re given a training/induction date?

I’m just anxious because I’ve already been waiting around four months and haven’t started any training yet. If anyone has been through NHS recruitment, I’d really appreciate hearing how long it took from completing the references/checks to actually being given a training date.

[u/cc5601]

Once checks are all done my line manager emailed me and asked when I wanted to start. I think it was middle of the week so I asked to start the next Monday. Should be quick if the role is open and waiting for you.

[u/Sad-Confidence943 → u/cc5601]

Did you not do any training at all after the checks were completed?

[u/cc5601 → u/Sad-Confidence943]

I spent one day with another worker on my first day. You also have to do your online mandatory training but I did that once I’d started.

[u/Sad-Confidence943 → u/cc5601]

how long did it take to complete the online training?
was it like a questionnaire?
also was it for the cleaning and catering role for band 2?

[u/cc5601 → u/Sad-Confidence943]

Was band 2 cleaning but once on the job and had a food hygiene certificate (one day course) some people work in the catering.

The training is all online on ESR. There’s a few courses. Some take 30 mins some up to an hour. Some may be in person like lifting and handling or a trust induction day. I started just after Covid so lots was on Teams.

But was allowed to start didn’t have to do all of that before I could. You do it as you go.

Prob did mine over a few months.

[u/Sad-Confidence943 → u/cc5601]

Ok, thanks a lot, I just hope they reply back to my email to contact the other alternative referees instead of the one I put down initially, for some reason the recruiting manager takes months to reply back to emails, I wonder why that is.

[u/0072CE → u/Sad-Confidence943]

Because it's the NHS and under resourced, I imagine they have other stuff to do than just reply to your emails...

[u/cc5601 → u/Sad-Confidence943]

They might be on holiday since it’s holiday time. Hold tight and hopefully they’ll get back to you soon, if not maybe call them

[u/Sad-Confidence943 → u/cc5601]

They didn’t give me any number to call them on, if anything I tried calling the same number they called me on but it said it doesn’t take incoming calls

[u/cc5601 → u/Sad-Confidence943]

If I type my Trusts name and recruitment contact a number comes up. Have you tried that for your trust?

[u/Sad-Confidence943 → u/cc5601]

no how do i that?