Recruitment

Current QARNNS Recruitment Team - Mar '10

Welcome to QARNNS recruitment page. For those of you who are not aware, we currently have a dedicated team of three QARNNS nurses working specifically towards recruiting nurses, doctors and dentists for the Royal Navy (RN). We work for Captain Naval Recruitment (CNR) Capt Mike Davis-Marks OBE and are based at CNR headquarters in HM Naval Base, Portsmouth.

The current team is headed up by Lt Alison Embleton QARNNS.  Her role is to provide specialist advice on the recruitment of nurses, doctors and dentists to CNR and Navy Command. This role also sees her attending recruitment events for all specialities and is a member of the selection board for the recruitment of both student and qualified nurses.

CPONN Emma McLocklan is the medical & dental recruiting assistant. CPONN McLocklan predominantly responsible for all medical, dental and environmental health officers who wish to join the RN. This involves attending specific recruitment fairs, organising acquaint visits, providing specialist advice and liaising closely with relevant branch managers to ensure all potential candidates are prepared thoroughly prior to attendance at the Admiralty Interview Board (AIB).

The final member of the Team is PONN Scott Gilbert who is the nurse recruiting assistant. PONN Gilbert is responsible for the recruitment of naval nurses (both student and qualified) and assists with the recruitment of nursing officers. This role sees him attending careers fairs, presenting at various universities and conferences on nursing within the Armed Forces and the RN, providing specialist nursing advice to candidates and Armed Forces Careers Offices (AFCO), organising acquaint visits and selection boards and finally making sure all candidates are prepared for HMS RALEIGH.

Current Situation

Current recruiting across the RN at present is relatively healthy however concern exists with regards to the recruitment of personnel for the Engineering and Submarine branches. This is being addressed through new strategies, such as improved literature and TV Adverts.

Recruitment figures are always under review to reflect the operational requirements and capabilities. There is always a need to attract new personnel to the branch whether that is from civilian world or through the branch transfer option. We are still very keen to speak with any potential candidates who already hold a specialist qualification in ITU, Emergency Nursing. They may qualify for a joining bonus of £20,000.

Future Activities

The future for QARNNS recruiting is good. The relatively low recruiting figures give us the opportunity to select the best candidates. There is plenty of interest in nursing within the RN and QARNNS. This is mainly due to our excellent achievements and high standards of care both within the MDHU’s and on operations in Afghanistan. The New Year will see a new TV Advertisement on all channels aimed at recruiting nurses in to the RN. PONN Robyn Sargeant from MDHU Portsmouth was selected to star in this advert, and she and a team from CNR flew to the Caribbean to produce it.  

QARNNS Reserves

We have now taken over as the main recuiters for QARNNS Reserves. Working closely with our colleagues at Navy Command Head Quarters, the QARNNS Reserves are currently looking to recruit nurses who hold specialist qualifications in ITU, Emergency Nursing, Operating Theatres, and Trauma and Orthopaedics. Life in the QARNNS Reserves means that you get the best of both worlds, enabling personnel to develop leadership, teamwork and management skills for both service and civilian life. For more information please go to the Reserves page of the QARNNS website or visit www.royalnavy.mod.uk/rnr

Contact Details

For more information on a career in the QARNNS go to:

www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers

Or contact:

Lt Alison Embleton QARNNS

Nursing, Medical & Dental Recruiter

Tel: 5

E-Mail:

CPONN Emma McLocklan

Medical and Dental Recruiting Assistant

Tel: 7

E-Mail:

PONN Scott Gilbert

Nurse Recruiting Assistant

Tel:

E-mail:

Our Address is:

RM G11

Building 1/080

Jago Road

HM Naval Base

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO1 3LU

Royal Navy recruit swaps music for medicine

A former Royal Marines Band Service member who used to play music at HMS Raleigh passing out parades has found herself in turn passing out to music played by her old Royal Marines Band colleagues, prior to embarking on training to become a naval nurse.

 Just three months before Royal Navy recruit Laura Downer, from Dover, found herself on the parade ground at HMS Raleigh for her passing out, she was a regular on parade providing the military music at the weekly ceremony as a member of the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Plymouth.

Laura originally joined the Royal Marines Band Service in 2002 and played the clarinet and the violin during engagements all over the world. Although enjoying Service life, the 27-year-old wanted a career change to nursing and decided to transfer to the Royal Navy to fulfil her dream.

She began her nine-week basic training course at HMS Raleigh in June of this year – just two days after playing at her final parade with the band. Designed to teach recruits the basic skills they will rely on throughout their Royal Navy careers, the course culminated with the passing out parade, when Laura and her fellow recruits marched out to music played by her former Royal Marines Band colleagues. Laura said:"I was really proud to be on parade with the Royal Marines Band playing at my passing out. It brought back some great memories of my time with the Band Service. I have enjoyed my basic training and am really looking forward to the next phase of my training. I hope to be a good nurse and to go on to have a successful career."

With her basic training complete, Laura will shortly leave HMS Raleigh to begin a three-year nursing course at the University of Central England in Birmingham.

HMS Raleigh contributes to the operational capability of the Fleet by providing first class training to all ratings joining the Service along with professional courses in a variety of specialist areas including military training, seamanship, logistics and submarine operations.

New recruit Laura Downer (second right) with some of her former colleagues from the Royal Marines Band          [Picture: Dave Sherfield]