Concerns raised about proposed ban on agency staff at entry-level roles

There are reports suggesting that the use of agency workers in certain fields is at risk of being banned.

It’s thought Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting will explain more in a few days about the proposed ban on agency staff at entry-level roles, which includes roles such as healthcare assistants and domestic support workers.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has written to Streeting, seeking urgent reassurance about the future for these types of agency workers, calling such a move ‘short-sighted and ill-informed’.

In the letter, REC Deputy Executive Kate Shoesmith, said:

‘Banning agency workers represents a fundamental misunderstanding of where the flaws in the NHS staffing lie given contingent workers play a valuable role in maintaining NHS staffing levels and people the choice they want to work in a more balanced, flexible way.’

The REC believes that simply banning agency workers does not resolve this issue, and instead shifts the burden of staffing costs to NHS banks. Banks are not subject to the same pricing controls as agencies are.

Banning agency workers would save pennies in the short term but would lead to an overall increase in staffing costs in the long run. A ban would also increase shortages in the NHS as many agency staff would not move into permanent roles, they would just leave the sector.

Kate said, “The agency caps and controls are unfit for purpose having not been revised in the eight years since they were introduced, and this has driven NHS trusts to use more expensive provision. Working with the recruitment industry, the government could completely redesign public sector procurement to provide the best value for patient safety and the taxpayer but our consistent calls for partnership remain ignored.

“REC would like to work with Wes Streeting to deliver a fundamental review into framework and off-framework practices, to develop a modernised strategy that will help support the wider reforms the system needs.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Lauren on 01206 591 000 or email lauren.monks@contractorumbrella.com.