Government's stance on deploying temporary workers is deemed a rehash of a previously unsuccessful strategy, according to REC
The UK's Department of Health has unveiled a strategy that underscores the significance of agencies in the NHS workforce while viewing them as a challenge to the long-term vision of a stable, permanent, and sustainable NHS workforce.
The strategy, which is part of the 10 Year Health Plan, aims to eliminate the reliance on agency staff and reduce dependency on international recruitment, focusing instead on recruiting from local communities and investing in long-term career development for NHS staff.
Despite agency workers offering flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to cover immediate staffing gaps, the government perceives their use as a symptom of underlying workforce instability and reliance on expensive short-term solutions. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has highlighted that agency work can provide valuable choice and support workforce needs, but the government has so far refused to collaborate with agencies in workforce planning.
Key reasons the Department of Health views agency workers as problematic include cost concerns, workforce stability, strategic workforce development, and the intention to reform contracts. Agency workers often command higher pay rates than permanent staff, increasing NHS employment costs. The heavy reliance on agency staff reflects difficulties in recruiting and retaining permanent employees, which the government aims to resolve by investing in long-term training, apprenticeships, and career development.
The strategy also emphasises a flexible approach to meeting immediate pressure, acknowledging the crucial role of agency staff in managing staffing challenges and costs more effectively. Moreover, it does not place blame on agencies for immediate pressure and seeks to treat them as partners, not peripheral players.
The government's approach reflects the ambition to address underlying workforce issues rather than continue depending on agency workers, whom they see as a stop-gap rather than a sustainable solution. The strategy involves long-term investment in training and retention to build a motivated, well-trained, and digitally enabled permanent workforce.
The NHS, in collaboration with the government, seeks a balanced workforce strategy that ensures a skilled and flexible workforce to meet the demands of the healthcare sector. The strategy does not specify any new investment or spending changes, but it calls for an end to the name-calling towards agencies and emphasises the importance of a collaborative approach.
It is important to note that today's statement from the government may alarm the public about the impact of rushed cost-cutting on safe staffing. The strategy aims to improve service and save money by addressing the root causes of workforce instability rather than relying on temporary arrangements.
In summary, the Department of Health's strategy highlights the need for a stable, flexible, but mostly permanent NHS workforce with fewer costly temporary arrangements and better local recruitment, training, and career progression support. The strategy does not overlook the valuable role of agency staff in offering skilled professionals the working lives they want, but it aims to transition towards a more sustainable and cost-effective workforce model.
- The Department of Health's strategy, as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, aims to invest in local communities for NHS staff recruitment, prioritize long-term career development, and eliminate the reliance on agency staff, while acknowledging their value in providing skilled professionals a desirable work life.
- To ensure a sustainable and cost-effective workforce model, the government's approach in the strategy involves addressing the root causes of workforce instability, such as difficulties in recruiting and retaining permanent employees, by focusing on long-term training, apprenticeships, and career development, and moving away from the excessive use of agency workers.
