The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS Improvement (NHSI) require a sustainable and reliable method of staffing solutions that can deliver at pace and at scale to resolve a national staffing shortfall. The healthcare system is understaffed and needs change to retain its current staff and recruit new staff.

This is where organisations such as ProMedical come into play. We provide a sustainable solution that does not compromise on quality. We recruit compliant and fully qualified staff with a service that is underpinned by core values and critical concepts of putting people first. Our service provision is backed up by sturdy strategies to not only source staff but retain them by making the workplace a better place to be.

Covid-19 – a challenging year!

This year Covid-19 has dominated the healthcare system in the UK and abroad. However, staffing agencies rose to the challenge. Agencies like ProMedical continued to support the NHS but this time at a faster pace and on a larger scale. We stook shoulder-to-shoulder with Government organisations to ensure our agency staff were deployed rapidly to answer England’s call when it was most needed.

What does the NHS People Plan entail?

Knowing the market as we do, and supporting clients including the NHS  has allowed us to firmly align ourselves to the aims of the NHS long term and NHS people plans

NHS People Plan – NHS needs more staff, needs to change how it operates, needs to show it cares for every person. The NHS needs to develop new innovative ways of working to ensure equality regarding access for all to services, to train and retain staff numbers, and to make the NHS a better place to work.

One way we support the DHSC/ NHSI achieve their goals is by reducing ‘off- framework’ spend.

Off – Framework Spend

One of the key priorities in the NHS is to eliminate off-framework spend. Off-framework spend is not sustainable, nor is it a cost-effective use of taxpayers’ money.

NHS Improvement states that “Trusts have reduced the use of off-framework agency shifts by more than 70% since 2016, but there is scope to go further.” ¹

The NHS relies heavily on flexible workforces to supply staffing solutions, especially during COVID-19. The NHS’s priority is to provide the best and safest quality care for patients in a cost-effective fashion where possible. In order to achieve the NHS objectives, such as safe and effective care, it is paramount that agency workers are fully aware of COVID-19 guidance for NHS staff and that self-isolation is carried out where deemed necessary by nurses, doctors and AHPs, as per government guidelines. Safety standards such as these are a core priority to all healthcare organisations, and one which we at ProMedical take seriously – we ensure that all our workers are compliant, safe, and current with all the latest guidance – we achieve this through robust processes within our compliance department.

The NHS guidance for best practice at present includes:

• Asymptomatic testing will be available for patient-facing staff in high-risk working areas.
• Agencies should continue to pay ‘sick pay’ where the agency is the employer.
• Escalation of rates during Covid-19 rate cards will not be acceptable.
• Agencies are asked to adhere to NHS risk assessment guidance

Framework-approved organisations have played a pivotal role in staffing UK Trusts and deploying high-calibre workers faster than ever in 2020. The sheer dedication and commitment during challenging times have been vital in both the private and public service in the UK. This is achieved by using similar values as the NHS regarding planning, such as the NHS long term plan which sets out a 10-year strategy to ensure everyone gets the best start in life, world-class care for chronic health issues, and supports ageing processes.

The long-term plan will be delivered by:

• Giving people more control over their health choices through integrated care systems.
• Prevention of illness and promoting good health choices.
• Taking on health inequalities-ensuring, everyone has access that is fair and equal.
• Supporting the workforce through training and recruitment. Making the NHS a better place to be employed in to retain staff.
• The utilisation of data and digital technology to aid healthcare access and information.
• Budgeting to get the best benefit for the taxpayers’ money- by reducing unnecessary spending.

Why be Framework-Approved?

Frameworks were developed in order to provide vetted and compliant agencies to support the NHS. Having a framework in place allows for the safe supply of staff who have been audited by a framework body and provides assurances to NHS clients that agencies are supplying high-quality staff at competitive prices.

To become a ‘framework supplier’, such as ProMedical, agencies need to apply through a tender process and provide all relevant information about their organisation.

What are the key advantages of working with an NHS framework agency?

• Access to a wide variety of jobs- in a variety of locations and specialities.
• Reassurance that you are working for a quality supplier

Having framework status is a sign of trust between an agency and an NHS trust. It shows that the agency can deliver high-quality services and build long-lasting relationships. It also reassures healthcare workers that the organisation is highly respected.

• Robust compliance and pre-employment checks

NHS framework agencies have auditing policies in place; this ensures each nurse, locum doctor or  AHP is qualified and compliant with NHS Employers standards.

• Reassurance that the supplier will avoid bankruptcy

NHS framework agencies are financially vetted to ensure that their risk of falling into bankruptcy is minimised.

In summary, to support the trusts, the DHSC must ensure quality of care for patients and value for money for taxpayers, the supply of staff, therefore must be through approved frameworks.

We are all working towards the same end goal- safe patient care

The end goal for the NHS, DoH, flexible workforce organisations, healthcare workers and patients should always be safe, effective patient care delivered by quality professionals in a suitable environment. For organisations small or large, monitoring costs is essential as we must sustain healthcare costs in the UK to meet demand.

This has been a hugely pressurising year, but our healthcare workers came out shining, proving their dedication to the people and ultimately delivered the best care to millions.

ProMedical working beside our NHS with twinned planning infrastructure

The NHS has its plans securely shaped and has realised that off framework spending simply is unsustainable. This is where organisations such as ProMedical provide multi-framework approved service at scale and pace that meets the NHS’s needs throughout the UK. We secured approval through our vigorous selection and compliance processes coupled with our knowledge of the market and model that always puts people first. The NHS seeks to meet demand at cost without compromising standards, safety, or best practice; this is also our mission. To provide excellence in care, absolute quality healthcare professionals that are vetted, compliant and qualified, and to address staffing solutions with the NHS throughout the UK in a cost-effective manner is our common goal. Ultimately, the best interest of the patient is to be safe, be heard, and for the provider to continue its service – that can only be achieved with an eye on costs, but no compromise on care- a balance we at ProMedical have achieved proudly!

Conclusion

We will continue in 2021 to support our NHS and private sector in safe care delivery and sustainably meet patients’ needs. As we head into a year filled with hope – as COVID-19 vaccinations are rolled out nationally, we remain optimistic this year will be a brighter one for all of us.

If you want to join a progressive multi-framework approved organisation with various roles, contact us today where a dedicated recruitment agent is waiting to talk to you!

References

https://improvement.nhs.uk/documents/3741/Agency_reduction_measures_consultation_Feb_2019._FINAL_2.pdf