Our infographics highlight some key facts and figures around leadership vacancies in the NHS and some of the difficulties NHS organisations face in recruiting and retaining people for executive positions.

1. Leadership vacancies in the NHS

2. A third of NHS trusts
have at least one
board-level position that
is not permanently filled.

3. On average, nursing
director posts remain
vacant for 9.1 months –
the longest time of any
board position. This is
longer than vacancies
for finance directors (5.2
months) and operations
directors (7.4 months).
9.1
months
Nursing
directors
5.2
months
Finance
directors
7.4
months
Operations
directors
0 1 2 3 4
Months post is vacant

4. CEO vacancies across all trusts CEO vacancies across trusts
in special measures
Trusts in special measures find it particularly difficult to recruit and retain senior
executives. 17% of trusts in special measures do not have a permanent CEO,
which is two and a half times higher than across all trusts.

5. REJECTED
APPLICATION
SHORT LIST
APPLICATION
There are issues finding suitable candidates for some roles. In almost 40%
of recruitment rounds for medical director roles, there is only one candidate
who is suitable for interview.

6. About 77% of the NHS workforce are women, but women are under-represented in senior roles.
Women hold 40% of NHS board positions.
Women working
in the NHS
Women in NHS
board positions

7. CEO
10 YEARS
On average, NHS trust CEOs
spend just over two and a
half years in post. Our
research suggests that
long-term stable leadership
is an important factor in
creating cultures of
good-quality care.
Organisational
stability
Improvement
methodology
High–
performing
organisation
Investment
in leadership
and quality
improvement
Leadership
continuity
Clear
goals and
measurement