The United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) is continuing to experience recruitment and retention problems of nursing and allied health profession staff. Consequently, the need to study and understand the key factors that encourage or dissuade people to work for the NHS remains a major research and policy issue. This study provides well-focused, independent research to explore how the NHS can be made more attractive for potential new recruits and possible returners. The views of potential recruits and returners interested in working for the NHS as either a qualified nurse, physiotherapist or radiographer were explored through a postal questionnaire survey which achieved a response rate of 23%. Analysis of the results indicate that the strongest predictor of intention to work for the NHS in one of the three professions was the attitude held by respondents. These attitudes in turn were most influenced by the extent to which people perceived that NHS work as a qualified nurse, physiotherapist or radiographer offered positive features, i.e. rewarding career, teamwork and a chance to help people and to get to know them. The views of family and friends regarding working for the NHS were also important as was the belief in one's ability to secure an NHS job.