Why Healthcare Professionals in Northern Ireland Choose Leadcare Recruitment
For healthcare professionals, choosing the right recruitment agency can make a real difference to your working experience. Whether you’re looking for greater flexibility, additional income alongside a permanent role, your next career opportunity or simply more control over when and where you work, having the right support behind you matters.
Leadcare Recruitment is a nurse-led healthcare recruitment agency supporting nurses, healthcare assistants , and doctors across Northern Ireland. We help healthcare professionals access flexible and rewarding opportunities across both public and private healthcare settings.
As a Tier 1 Approved Supplier to all five HSCNI Trusts, Leadcare provides nurses and doctors with access to opportunities across Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care system. We also work with leading private healthcare and care providers across Northern Ireland.
So, why do healthcare professionals across Northern Ireland choose Leadcare Recruitment?
1. Access to Opportunities Across Northern Ireland
One of the biggest benefits of registering with Leadcare is access to a wide range of healthcare opportunities across Northern Ireland.
As a Tier 1 Approved Supplier to all five HSCNI Trusts including:
- Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
- Northern Health & Social Care Trust
- South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust
- Southern Health & Social Care Trust
- Western Health & Social Care Trust
This gives registered nurses and doctors access to opportunities across a wide range of specialties and healthcare settings.
For healthcare assistants, we also work with leading private healthcare and care providers across Northern Ireland, providing opportunities in nursing homes, residential care, dementia services, learning disability services, mental health services and supported living.
Whether you want to work closer to home, gain experience in a different setting or simply have more choice over the shifts you accept, having access to opportunities across Northern Ireland gives you greater flexibility.
2. Flexible Working That Fits Around Your Life
One of the main reasons healthcare professionals choose agency work is flexibility.
With Leadcare, you can choose the shifts that work for you, including day, night, weekend, ad-hoc and block bookings. Our Leadcare App also allows you to manage your availability and book shifts conveniently.
This can be particularly valuable if you have family commitments, are studying, already work in a permanent role or simply want greater control over your working week.
You don’t necessarily have to choose between a permanent career and flexibility either. Agency work can be used alongside permanent employment to provide additional income while allowing you to choose when and where you work.
3. Competitive Pay and Weekly Payroll
Your time, skills and experience are valuable, and your pay should reflect that.
Leadcare offers competitive pay rates, with rates varying according to your role, experience, specialty, location and shift. Current rates include up to £42 per hour for nurses and up to £120 per hour for locum doctors, while healthcare assistants at Leadcare can earn up to £25 per hour.Pay rates vary depending on profession, grade, specialty, location, shift and individual assignment and are subject to change. Contact Leadcare Recruitment for current rates and available opportunities.
Leadcare also provides weekly payroll, giving healthcare professionals a reliable and consistent way to receive payment for the work they complete.
Before accepting a shift, you can have clarity around the rate and the work involved, helping you make informed decisions about the opportunities you take.
Know someone else who wants to get started in agency work and boost your earnings while you’re at it? We also offer referral bonus schemes wherein both the referring and referred candidate can earn a sizeable bonus on top of their existing pay.
- Nurses: Up to £250 bonus
- HCAs: Up to £125 bonus
- Doctors: Up to £1200 bonus
4. A Nurse-Led Healthcare Recruitment Agency
Leadcare was established by local nurses with more than 50 years of combined experience in healthcare. That clinical understanding means our team knows the realities of working in healthcare, from demanding shifts and staffing pressures to compliance requirements and the importance of finding the right working environment.
For healthcare professionals, this means you can speak to a recruitment team that understands the sector you’re working in.
5. Dedicated Support When You Need It
Starting agency work can feel complicated, particularly if you’ve never worked through a recruitment agency before.
At Leadcare, we support healthcare professionals throughout the process, from registration and onboarding through to compliance, shift bookings and ongoing career support. Our team also provides 24/7 support, 365 days a year. Whether you have a question about your registration, need help with compliance or simply want advice about finding your next opportunity, our dedicated team is always available to help.
6. Simple Shift Management with the Leadcare App
Managing agency work shouldn’t be complicated. Our Leadcare App makes it much easier for healthcare professionals to manage their working arrangements, including checking availability, accepting shifts and submitting digital timesheets. Having these features in one place can make managing agency work much more convenient, particularly if you’re balancing multiple commitments.
7. Training and Professional Development
Working in healthcare means keeping your knowledge and skills up to date.
At Leadcare, we provide access to mandatory training and additional development opportunities, including training such as Basic Life Support (BLS) and Manual Handling taken by our highly experienced in-house practitioners.
The team also provides support with ongoing compliance, helping healthcare professionals stay ready to work and meet the relevant requirements of their role.
For nurses and doctors, this also includes dedicated support with areas such as revalidation and appraisal.
8.Who Can Register with Leadcare Recruitment?
Leadcare Recruitment works with experienced healthcare professionals across Northern Ireland. Requirements vary depending on the profession and individual role, but typically include:
- Nurses: NMC registration and a minimum of 6 months’ relevant clinical experience.
- Healthcare Assistants: A minimum of 6 months’ paid healthcare or care experience.
- Doctors: GMC registration with a licence to practise and a minimum of 6 months’ relevant UK clinical experience.
Additional compliance, training, right to work and role-specific requirements may also apply. Our recruitment team will guide you through the registration and compliance process.
9. Opportunities to Develop Your Experience
Agency work can give healthcare professionals the opportunity to experience different healthcare environments, teams and specialties.
For nurses, Leadcare offers opportunities across areas including Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Intensive Care, Community Services, Mental Health and Paediatrics.
HCAs have the opportunity to access opportunities in Private Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Residential Homes, Mental Health settings and Community Care.
Doctors at Leadcare also have opportunities to work across a range of areas including:
- Emergency Medicine
- General Medicine and Subspecialties
- Psychiatry
- Surgery
- Anaesthetics and Intensive Care
- Paediatrics
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- General Practice / Out-of-Hours (where applicable)
- Dental Locum Roles (where applicable)
Working across different settings can help you broaden your experience, develop new skills and discover which areas of healthcare best suit your career ambitions.
Whether you’re an experienced professional looking for a change or you’re looking to build your experience, agency work can provide opportunities to develop your career.
10. Recognition for the Work We Do
Leadcare Recruitment was Highly Commended in the Nursing Agency of the Year category at the Nursing & Care Awards 2026.
Leadcare has also successfully completed three consecutive RQIA inspections with no recommendations, demonstrating our continued commitment to high standards of governance, compliance and quality.
Our focus remains on building long-term relationships with the healthcare professionals and providers we work with and ensuring they feel supported, valued and respected.
Why Choose Leadcare Recruitment?
Healthcare professionals across Northern Ireland choose Leadcare Recruitment because we combine flexibility, competitive pay, career opportunities and dedicated support with genuine healthcare expertise.
From access to all five HSCNI Trusts to opportunities with leading private healthcare providers, Leadcare can help you find work across Northern Ireland that suits your skills, experience and availability.
And because we’re nurse-led, we understand that your career is about more than simply picking up shifts. It’s about having the freedom to work on your terms, being properly supported and having access to opportunities that help you achieve your professional and personal goals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Leadcare Recruitment
Is Leadcare Recruitment an approved HSCNI healthcare recruitment agency?
Yes. Leadcare Recruitment is a Tier 1 Approved Supplier to all five HSCNI Trusts and supports nurses and doctors seeking opportunities across Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care system.
Which HSCNI Trusts does Leadcare Recruitment supply?
Leadcare Recruitment is a Tier 1 Approved Supplier to all five HSCNI Trusts: Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern and Western Health & Social Care Trusts.
What healthcare professionals does Leadcare Recruitment recruit?
Leadcare Recruitment recruits nurses, healthcare assistants and doctors across Northern Ireland. Opportunities are available across a range of specialties, healthcare settings and locations depending on current requirements.
How much can healthcare professionals earn with Leadcare?
Pay rates vary depending on profession, grade, specialty, location and shift. Current rates can reach up to £42 per hour for nurses, £25 per hour for healthcare assistants and £120 per hour for locum doctors. Rates are subject to change depending on the individual assignment.
How much experience do I need to register with Leadcare Recruitment?
Experience requirements vary by profession and role. Nurses and healthcare assistants typically require a minimum of six months’ relevant experience, while doctors require a minimum of six months’ relevant UK clinical experience alongside appropriate GMC registration.
Does Leadcare Recruitment pay weekly?
Yes. Leadcare Recruitment operates weekly payroll for healthcare professionals, subject to the applicable timesheet and payroll requirements.
How do I register with Leadcare Recruitment?
Nurses, healthcare assistants and doctors can apply directly to Leadcare Recruitment. Our recruitment and compliance teams will guide you through the registration process and help identify suitable opportunities based on your profession, experience, location and availability.
Register now with Leadcare Recruitment
Whether you’re a registered nurse, healthcare assistant or doctor, Leadcare Recruitment can help you find flexible opportunities across Northern Ireland.
Start your journey with Leadcare today by contacting us on 028 7187 6515 or emailing info@leadcarerecruitment.com and a member of our experienced recruitment team will be happy to help.
