The last 2 years in healthcare has been difficult across the board with staffing issues being raised across all organizations in this sector. Staffing levels in the healthcare sector have dramatically changed due to factors such as Covid, the legislation associated with it, the increased workload pressure on those working on the front line and the prioritisation of the NHS over Health & Social Care within the UK. This has caused many individuals to leave the healthcare sector altogether causing a major impact of staffing shortages.
Here we are, 2 years on and the healthcare sector still faces challenges with many arguing that the sector is now in a worse position than it has been for many years.
The healthcare staffing crisis has reached an all time high(1). The NHS Confederation, which represents the whole healthcare system, are calling on the UK Government to implement a range of new measures in England to help overstretched hospitals, struggling ambulance services and social care services cope with the widespread shortages of medical professionals and healthcare workers in general(2).
So what happens when there is an increase in the demand for temporary staff and there is also an expectation from agency staff workers that they should receive a higher rate of pay due to risks they take?
Ultimately there are individuals who require care and the whole scenario shouldn't be at their detriment. This will require a balance between the care providing businesses and recruitment companies who provide temporary staffing solutions.
There is a lot of talk throughout the sector regarding certain healthcare recruitment agencies inflating their prices to exploit the current staffing crisis. We understand that it's imperative for a business to make profit rather than a loss, however unscrupulous increases in charge rates do not provide the longevity in a harmonious and mutually beneficial partnership.
As a recruitment agency specializing in healthcare staffing solutions, it can be a challenge to be tarred with the same brush. Our transparency, quality and consistency have enabled us to develop some very valuable relationships within the Health & Social Care sector.
Is there a justification whereby some agencies have increased their charge rates by circa 30%?
In all honesty, we can’t answer for how staffing agency owners would justify their increases. Here at LeviCare, we don’t intend to follow suit as this would be detrimental to our reputation.
Are we planning to exploit the current staffing crisis to manipulate profit? Definitely not.
Based on inflation and the increase of the national minimum wage, it is inevitable that businesses across the board will increase their prices.
In a challenging economic climate, we need to ensure that we are able to continue to provide our services in a way that allows us to further improve our levels of service, invest in our people and focus on the growth and sustainability of our business.
In order to justify your prices, the level of service that you provide should reflect in the prices that you charge. Quality of service should always be a priority, otherwise you're just exploiting other organizations in order to make money - and this we don't agree with.
If you are a recruitment agency who are planning to hike your prices to exploit the current crisis then we're here to remind you that not only is this unethical, but this will negatively impact the longevity of your business. To build a strong partnership with your clients, there must always be a mutual expectation, which is built upon trust and exceeding expectations which further develops into a solid, business relationship.
We're working hard at LeviCare to change the narrative around recruitment agencies and show that there are many agencies out there who are honest, fair and want to deliver a first class service.
In times like these, it's important to remember that not all recruitment agencies are the same. If you're not happy with how your current agency supplier has handled this staffing crisis and you have concerns about the level of service you are receiving, we are available to have an informal chat (brew’s & biscuits are on us!). Let us look at your current challenges, and perhaps we may have a solution that will add some real value to your business.
(1) https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/nhs-has-reached-tipping-point-warn-healthcare-leaders
