The british nursing association has a register of 59,000 nurses. Edward Lincoln looks at the methods and techniques of the country's biggest agency in the struggle for nurse recruitment

Recruiting has changed a bit since sailors were abducted by brute force and recruiting sergeants enticed innocent boys into the ranks with a sugary tongue and the King's shilling. The one element that has not changed, however, is contact. In the stratosphere of head hunting, the consultant's indispensible aid is his or her contact list. He or she never loses touch with a client, for the likelihood is that the same client will one day move on or might just know someone else who can be nominated for a post the consultant has been briefed to fill. Keeping contacts - and records - is imperative in the business of recruitment.