Rather than “ripping off” the NHS, as suggested by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, a new poll of Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) members shows that recruiters are stepping up to support the health service, which is feeling the pressure of increased patient demand and years of poor workforce planning.

Following the comments from Mr Hunt, the REC recently surveyed 65 healthcare agencies about the nature of their work.

The survey found that REC members are called upon to provide staff to cover last minute sickness or holiday leave, as well as spikes in demand.

• 87% of the members polled have been asked to find agency staff to cover shifts over Bank Holidays or other national holidays like Christmas or Easter. 
• 53% said they had provided temporary staff to an NHS Trust to help it deal with the aftermath of a local emergency; such as fires, traffic accidents, flu epidemic, or the discovery of wards infected with MRSA or C-difficile.

However, the poll also reveals how healthcare recruiters are increasingly being called upon to cover longer term vacancies and staffing gaps caused by years of poor workforce planning. A third of recruitment agencies polled said that they are being asked to fill more than 100 placements for each NHS Trust they supply every single week.

Although agency spend still only makes up 2.9% of the NHS’ annual net expenditure, demand for agency healthcare professionals has increased over recent years. This is the result of increasing patient demand, the difficulty the NHS has faced in attracting and retaining healthcare professionals, and continuing public sector pay restraint. Increasing numbers of healthcare professionals are also choosing to work as locums.

But the REC's research with agency nurses indicates that greater flexibility and working conditions were just as – if not more – important as pay when explaining why.

Rather than “ripping off” the NHS, healthcare recruiters are working harder than ever before to make sure that the NHS’ wards continue to be staffed:  

• 95% of agencies polled said they have fielded requests to find agency nurses and doctors to fill a shift at less than 24 hours’ notice.
• 64% (almost two thirds) of recruiters have fielded calls from NHS managers between the hours of midnight and 8am.

However, members are starting to report significant difficulties in finding candidates to meet this demand. Since March 2013, Nursing/Medical/Care staff has consistently been identified in the top three sectors for skills shortages by both the temp and perm recruiters we survey as part of the REC’s Report on Jobs.  

In this broader debate around the future of NHS finances, recruiters have all too often been scapegoated for years of poor workforce planning and management by the government.

The REC is calling for greater recognition for the healthcare recruiters working 24/7 keep the NHS safely staffed.