NHS managers, maligned in some quarters for an apparent ability to suck up scarce resources with their clipboards and paperclips, are in demand — by local government.

Health Service Journal (May 25) says that the NHS is not usually seen as fertile head-hunting territory. But the poachers are moving in.

Maggie Hennessey, a recruitment specialist, says that there are differences between local government and the NHS, but that there are also solid reasons why local authority employers are keen to attract NHS managers. Among them is a shared culture of performance targets and indicators.

In most cases, NHS candidates will have managed large groups of people, which also makes them attractive to local government bosses.

But Hennessey admits that the bad press about NHS deficits means that budget management could be “a bit of a sticky point”, especially for senior managers. “They are going to have to have a good story to tell on that one.”

But dodgy accounting aside, increasingly close working relationships mean that local government remains keen to attract NHS staff.

“When you look at care outside hospitals and joint commissioning arrangements and services pushed down to community and local level, there’s going to be a real need for joint planning between local authorities, health and the voluntary sector,” Hennessey says.

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