Advantages of Working for a Nursing Agency in Northern Ireland
As a Registered Nurse in Northern Ireland, you can:
- Work as a permanent Nurse in the NHS or private sector full- or part-time.
- Work full-time for a Nursing Agency, or
- Work as a permanent Nurse in the NHS or private sector and supplement your income by working shifts with a Nursing Agency.
What is an Agency Nurse?
Agency Nurses are Registered Nurses that go through an application process to enable them to work via a Nursing Agency.
Agency Nurses fulfil a need, and are often brought in to cover sickness absence, maternity or parental leave, annual leave, staff shortages, or to support service delivery when demand is particularly high. The NHS consistently has more vacancies and staff shortages than Nurses to fill them, so Agency Nurses are the best solution to maintain safe and effective patient care.
Without the support of Agency Nurses helping to ensure shifts have the right amount of cover, the patient to staff ratio can be too high, which may jeopardise patient care and can put healthcare professionals under significant pressure.
For example:
When an NHS Trust needs a Nurse, they will usually try to cover the shift or role with a permanent staff member or bank staff. If this isn’t possible, they will approach a Nursing Agency to provide a Nurse on a temporary basis. The Agency will then offer the shift or temporary role to a Nurse that is registered with them. If you’re not registered with an Agency, you will likely not be aware of these shifts or roles.
From May 15th 2023 in Northern Ireland, Trusts must use an ‘on-contract’ Nursing Agency. This is a Nursing Agency that has been successfully awarded a position on the government contract (sometimes referred to as ‘the Framework’) to place Agency Nurses in Trusts and other public sector healthcare locations.
Leadcare Recruitment are proud to be an Approved Supplier to all HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland, having been successfully awarded a position ‘on-contract’.
Where can an Agency Nurse work?
Agency Nurses can work across all areas of the NHS. Every Department and every Ward need Nurses to support the safe and effective care of patients. Agency Nurses can also work in a range of private healthcare settings, such as private hospitals, private health clinics and treatment rooms, and private nursing homes.
Shifts available with Agencies aren’t just for general practice Nurses. At Leadcare Recruitment, we can offer shifts and temporary roles to Band 5 Nurses, Band 6 Nurses (including Midwives), and specialist Nurses including Mental Health, Accident & Emergency (A&E), Intensive Care (ICU), Paediatric/Children’s Nurses, and more.
What are the advantages of working for a Nursing Agency?
Working for a Nursing Agency, either full-time or on a shift-basis, has become increasingly popular as professional Nurses seek variety, professional development opportunities, flexibility, and increased job satisfaction. Many Nurses have worked with an Agency, but some may never have considered it an option.
If you’re a Registered Nurse looking to expand your horizons, you can complete our quick online application form, or read on to find out more about the benefits and advantages of Agency work.
1. Competitive Pay & Benefits
As a Nursing Agency that was founded by Nurses, we understand the value of healthcare professionals and compensate our Nurses accordingly. Agency work often offers good pay rates that reflect your training, expertise, and dedication.
Our standard rates are extremely competitive. A Band 5 Nurse can earn £29.50 per hour and a specialist Nurse such as A&E, ICU, or Theatre can earn £33.00 per hour (both via PAYE).
But, you can earn even more by picking up night shifts, weekend shifts, or working on Bank Holidays. With Leadcare, a Band 5 Nurse can earn up to £39.00 per hour, and a specialist Nurse can earn up to £42.00 per hour (both via PAYE). *Rates correct as of 6th June 2023.
Our pay runs are done weekly, rather than monthly. This can help your cashflow and make managing your money easier. For Nurses with a full-time role who also work some Agency shifts, it can boost your earnings and help you save towards a goal like a holiday or home improvements.
In addition, Agencies also often offer additional incentives and benefits. At Leadcare Recruitment we have a Refer A Friend Scheme* and a monthly Appreciation Scheme* for our Nurses. We also offer free uniform and training, access to a free app to manage your shifts, and revalidation support.
2. Flexibility
As a Nurse, you can have a full-time position and work flexible, additional shifts through an Agency, or you may choose to work the equivalent of full-time hours through an Agency. Working through an Agency offers unparalleled flexibility, putting you in control of your schedule.
Whether you want to work two shifts a month, one shift a week, or multiple shifts per week, working with Leadcare Recruitment gives you the freedom and choice to work when you want to, where you want to.
Note:
Under the new Framework, Nurses who hold a substantive employment contract with a particular Trust are not able to work Agency shifts for that same Trust (this was not the case under the old Framework, which was amended likely due to staffing pressures because of the pandemic).
3. Improved Work-Life Balance
As a result of the flexibility that comes with working for an Agency, you can choose what shifts and assignments to work based on your life circumstances and personal commitments.
- Need to fit your working pattern around school holidays or childcare? No problem.
- Want to change your work routine so you can complete further study? Perfect.
- Have caring responsibilities and need to work part-time or reduced hours? We can support that.
With an Agency, there are no minimum hours you must work, and there’s usually more freedom around the hours and shifts you do work compared to a permanent role.
As a Nursing Agency that is an Approved Supplier to HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland, we can offer our Nurses significant advantages over an Agency that is not on the Framework. Being ‘on-contract’ means we have a reliable source of shifts, so we can offer good stability to Nurses registered with us, but with the added benefit of flexibility.
We also have an easy-to-use app that lets you upload your availability in advance. This means we can book you for shifts as they become available. Our app also lets you:
- Book your own shifts.
- Choose which Trusts and Wards you want to work in.
- Choose if you want to work days, nights, or weekends.
- Get timesheets digitally signed and submitted immediately after shifts.
- Upload evidence and training certificates as they expire and need to be renewed.
The Leadcare App helps save you time and is a hassle-free way to manage your work,
all in the palm of your hand.
4. Professional Growth & Development
Getting the chance to work in different hospitals and clinical settings, and in different Departments and Wards, means you can benefit from professional development and the opportunity to learn new skills.
This variety not only keeps your professional life interesting and engaging but also enhances your skills by exposing you to a range of different patients, medical conditions, and treatment approaches.
5. 24/7 Support
As a Nursing Agency established by Registered Nurses, we understand the unique challenges and pressures faced by healthcare professionals.
We aim to create a supportive environment for our Nurses that recognises and rewards their hard work. We also invest in developing and improving our processes and systems in ways that directly benefit our Nurses; by making the registration and scheduling process as streamlined as possible and supporting Nurses with access to free mandatory training and other training opportunities.
6. Build Your Professional Network
By working for an Agency, you can engage with lots of different people and build your professional network. Even if you try Agency work and decide it’s not for you, it can be a great way to experience working in different environments and settings, and to gain an insight into different specialisms. These insights and contacts can be critical in helping you decide your next career move.
7. Less Stressful
Whether you’re a Staff Nurse or an Agency Nurse, there will always be certain stresses and pressures due to the nature of the job. However, as an Agency Nurse, you can avoid the ‘office politics’ of certain workplaces.
Are you ready to register with Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing, Nurse-led Agency?
If you’re a Registered Nurse looking for:
- Flexible shifts to work some overtime or ‘top up’ your wages.
- Full-time hours but with the flexibility of Agency shifts.
- Part-time hours to better accommodate your other commitments.
We want to hear from you.
Get in touch with our team for a confidential chat on 028 7187 6515, or via email at info@leadcarerecruitment.com.
Or, if you’re ready to take the next step, you can apply to join Leadcare Recruitment now.
