Applicant Guide – NHS Forth Valley

Thank you for your interest in joining NHS Forth Valley. This guide will take you through each stage of the recruitment process, from applying for a role to starting your career with us.

At NHS Forth Valley, you’ll be part of a supportive and welcoming team, with opportunities to develop your skills, grow your career and make a real difference to the people and communities we serve.

In this section:

Before You Apply Recruitment Journey Pre-employment Checks Right To Work Contracts Contacts

Before you apply

We are delighted that you are considering a career with NHS Forth Valley. Taking the time to prepare your application will give you the best chance of success.

Prepare

Read the job advert and all attachments carefully, including the job description.
Check how your skills and experience match the requirements of the role.

Apply online

All vacancies are available on our jobs page. You can:

search and filter current vacancies
register for job alerts
submit your application.

Contact the recruiting manager

Each job advert includes contact details for the manager recruiting for the role.
You can contact the recruiting manager for more information, feedback or an update about your application.
If you are unable to reach them, the Recruitment Team may be able to help.

Complete your application

Make sure that all sections are fully completed. Incomplete application forms cannot be submitted.
Once submitted, your application cannot be edited.

Using artificial intelligence

We understand that some applicants may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help with spelling, grammar, formatting or structuring their application. However, the information you provide should be your own and accurately reflect your skills, knowledge and experience.

Please do not use AI to generate answers that do not genuinely represent you. During the recruitment process, you may be asked to discuss the information included in your application.

Providing honest and accurate information helps us maintain a fair and supportive recruitment process for everyone.

The recruitment journey

Apply

Submit your application through Jobtrain.

Application received

You will receive an email confirming that we have received your application.

Interview invitation

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to book an interview slot using the link in your email.

Attend your interview

Attend your interview and bring three forms of identification.

Outcome

We will let you know the outcome of your interview. Successful candidates will usually receive a phone call from the recruiting manager.

Conditional offer

If you are successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment by email.

Pre-employment checks

Please return any required documents to the Recruitment and Occupational Health teams as soon as possible.

Checks completed

Once all checks have been completed, the Recruitment Team will work with the recruiting manager to arrange your start date.

Welcome to NHS Forth Valley

We will confirm your start date and issue your contract of employment.

Pre-employment checks

Before you can start work with NHS Forth Valley, we will need to complete a number of pre-employment checks. Completing these as quickly as possible will help avoid delays to your start date.

Identification

You will need to provide three original forms of identification and bring them to your interview, along with copies.

These should include:

a valid passport
a birth certificate or driving licence
proof of your current address.

All identification must be checked in person.

If you hold a passport issued outside the UK, you will also need to provide a right to work share code.

Occupational Health

You will be asked to complete a health questionnaire to help us ensure that you have the support you need for your role.

Pre-employment health assessment (PEHA): for external applicants.
Follow-on questionnaire (FOQ): for existing NHS staff who require an update and for bank staff.

Please return any Occupational Health documentation as soon as possible.

PVG and Disclosure checks

Depending on the role, you may need to complete a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership check or a Disclosure check.

PVG: required for regulated roles.
Disclosure: required for certain other roles.

Once your results are available, you will receive an email with instructions on how to share them with NHS Forth Valley.

References

We will normally require at least two references covering the last three years of your employment history.

One reference should be from your current or most recent manager.
Additional references should cover the remainder of the three-year period.

If you are unsure who to provide as a referee, the Recruitment Team will be happy to help.

What happens next

Once all pre-employment checks have been completed and approved, we will work with the recruiting manager to confirm your start date and issue your contract.

Right to work and sponsorship

If you are offered a role with NHS Forth Valley, we will review your right to work in the UK and, where applicable, your eligibility for sponsorship in line with current Home Office requirements.

If you require sponsorship, please provide your right to work share code as soon as possible. You can obtain a share code through the UK Government website:

Get a right to work share code

NHS Forth Valley may be able to offer sponsorship for some roles. Sponsorship is not available for all posts and cannot be guaranteed. Eligibility for sponsorship will be assessed on a case-by-case basis following interview and during the pre-employment checks process.

We strongly encourage applicants who require sponsorship to review the latest UK Government guidance before applying:

Contracts

The contract you receive will depend on the type of role you have been offered. The information below outlines the main contract types used by NHS Forth Valley and the key details included in each.

Internal contract

An internal contract is issued to candidates who are currently employed by NHS Forth Valley and are moving to a new role within the same health board.

Also referred to as an internal offer letter, this contract confirms your start date and minimum and maximum salary details.

As this is an internal move, the letter contains only essential information. All other employment details can be accessed through your existing eESS account.

Substantive contract

A substantive contract is issued to candidates joining NHS Forth Valley from outside the organisation.

This document provides full details of your new employment, including your:

start date
work location
starting salary, including the minimum and maximum
continuous service date
incremental date
terms and conditions of appointment.

Fixed-term contract

A fixed-term contract is issued to candidates joining NHS Forth Valley from outside the organisation for a fixed period.

This document contains the same key details as a substantive contract, along with information specific to your fixed-term appointment, including the start and end dates of your contract.

Annex 21 contract

An Annex 21 contract is issued to candidates who are appointed to a role with NHS Forth Valley on a training basis.

This contract includes the same key details as a substantive contract, along with specific information about your training programme, including: