NHS Cuts Could Benefit Locum Workers
Recruiter have highlighted that the current NHS job cuts could present an opportunity for healthcare agencies to provide a flexible staffing solution which is good news for locums.
Kate Bleasdale, executive vice chairman of Healthcare Locums, told Recruiter:
“In previous cycles the NHS has responded to spending squeezes by freezing permanent recruitment and making greater use of locum doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to respond to fluctuations in demand.”
Contractors with specialist healthcare skills incur only upfront costs for the hours they work. They are economically feasible as they don’t receive public sector rates of pension provision, annual leave or sick leave. Locums are even more important to the NHS infrastructure than ever, as the UK has a growing and ageing population which needs more frequent and acute care.
Richard MacMillan, chief executive at healthcare staffing provider PULSE, added;
“Flexible staffing arrangements not only reduce costs but also enable organisations to increase productivity by better matching resources to changing demand.”
Filed under: Contractor News
