What is agency nursing in UK ? – [in 2024]

Introduction to agency nursing

Nurses are one of the most minor satisfied professional groups in the country, with 45 percent stating that they are often unsatisfied with their role. Changing your career after completing your nursing graduation and years of experience can be challenging. But if you are really keen on modifying your job, there’s a direction. The key lies in agency nursing. The world nursing agency is full of possibilities and opportunities and the agency nurses work with full vigor and spirit, at their convenience.

This blog is all about Agency Nursing.

What is agency nursing?

A nursing job that involves nurses on temporary tasks is agency nursing,

Agency nursing is similar to job recruiters who only deal with the temporary placement of nurses in the healthcare sector. They are adept at placing nurses registered with them in suitable job positions on a needs basis. You could still work for NHS and be registered with agency nursing. Another main criterion to note is that you are unlikely to hear about temporary positions unless you’re registered with a nursing employment agency.

Who is an agency nurse?

An agency nurse is generally someone who is employed by an agency rather than a hospital. Instead of working for a single facility, an agency nurse typically works for a number of different healthcare settings and they provide their service on a temporary basis, based on their location and specialties.

Agency nurses operate in all sections of the NHS; every department needs nursing professionals to perform day-to-day patient care as well as more technical responsibilities.

There are agency posts for various types of Nurses, including Paediatric Nurses, Neurological Nurses, and Specialist Mental Health Nurses, so they aren’t only for General Nurses. While some nurses prefer to work completely through nursing agencies, others prefer to keep their salaried jobs and supplement their income with agency assignments, combining NHS and agency work.

How does agency nursing work?

The nursing agencies work across the NHS is competitive in nature.

Because of unfilled vacancies, workers on sick leave, or rising demand, NHS Trusts are always in need of new nurses. When an NHS Trust needs a Nurse, they first try to fill the shift or job with permanent or temporary employees, but this isn’t always viable.

They will then contact a nursing agency to arrange for a temporary nurse. The agency will then make the position available to suitable registered nurses who are also called contract nurses. Even if you’re already employed by the NHS, you’re unlikely to hear about these temporary positions unless you’re registered with an agency.

Benefits of agency nursing

“Year-on-year income for Agency Nurse employment has gone up 7.9% year-on-year, compared to an annual change of -0.4 percent for all jobs,” according to Adzuna.

As hospitals regard agency nurse job responsibilities as a fantastic resource to fill staffing shortfalls, agency nursing is becoming a preferred alternative among nurses. It is also the highest paying job.

Read our blog on the benefits of agency nursing for more information.

The important qualities agency nurses should posses

Agency nursing provides a variety of settings and training to help you broaden your skillset and advance your career. You must be an experienced nurse if you desire a higher pay rate. A competent agency will usually provide training so that you may improve your skills and increase your chances of securing higher-paying nursing employment. As a result, picking an agency can help you advance your nursing career. Here are some of the most important qualities to have as a nurse:

1. Fitness and Good Health
2. Empathetic
3. Adaptability
4. Team worker
5. Resilience
6. Good stamina
7. Good Communication
8. Excellent Observation
9. Calmness
10. Quickness in making decisions

Can an agency nurse be a salaried employee too?

Yes, working a full-time job and supplementing your income with a few extra jobs can be the best of all worlds if you combine salaried and agency work. Your NHS salary makes it simple to qualify for a mortgage, and the extra revenue from a few more shifts keeps the monthly payments manageable. In terms of personal branding, it also implies you can have your cake and eat it. Working for the NHS has many advantages.

Finally, as a full-time agency nurse, you have less formal chances for learning and growth. You are responsible for purchasing and obtaining formal training as an independent contractor. If you don’t stay on top of it, your career may become stagnant. However, keeping your job as a salaried nurse ensures that the NHS will continue to organise (and pay for) upgrades, courses, and core modules. Learning new abilities at work can increase your job happiness and engagement.

Winding thoughts

Agency nursing is always on high demand and trying to become one leaves you with many employment opportunities that are satisfactory in nature and benefitting.

One of the leading NHS recruitment agency specialists, at JP Medicals we undertake the medical recruitment UK for locums to work for uk

If you’re interested in working for an employment agency and wish to work in the UK, go through current nursing openings and contact one of our recruiters.

What is agency nursing?

A nursing agency otherwise called a home health agency or a home care agency is a service provider that delivers nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants to authorities or people who require healthcare services.