19-07-2016, 07:49 PM
11
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
HiI never went out with Florence Nightingale.
The Nurse disappeared off the scene in early 2014, she wasn't the only one doing this either, some of her friends were as well.
I have no idea what was in their Contracts, I just know what they were doing.
19-07-2016, 11:30 PM
14
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
Originally Posted by Abbey
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The nuses I knew who did agency work did it because they couldn't get their contracted hours increased . This is the option they would have preferred . However if the choice was either extra hours at work or extra hours paying more via an agency then who could blame them for taking the option that payed more .It's not agency nurses who are fleecing the NHS but the agencies .
This is nothing new it's been going on for years .
I worked as an Auxiliary night nurse for an agency covering various nursing homes and I worked with many NHS nurses . They were given contracted hours by the NHS but often it didn't provide a large enough income so they signed up with Agencies to get extra hours covering for absent staff in both nursing homes and hospitals . Also, no matter how many nurses are employed by the NHS they are always going to need some people to cover for holidays and illness.
Most nursing homes operate a 'bank' system, a pool of people who can be called on at short notice to cover for some of the staff illness or staff holidays (often people who don't want to take on permanent hours but may be available to fill in occasionally).
The NHS doesn't seem to operate a bank so any time nurses are ill or on holiday they have to call in Agency staff.
19-07-2016, 11:53 PM
16
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
We have agency nurses caring for my husband. They are Intensive Care Nurse and as well as doing community work they work in hospitals. We have one nurse for the day and one for the night. Some fit in extra shifts in addition to their NHS shifts but a great number of them have actually reduced their hospital shifts to take on more agency work. Others do agency work only. Incidentally they cannot do agency work in their own hospital but can do it at the hospital down the road. It is a quite bizarre situation. The agency we have gave the NHS a 60 million bill last year. There is another reason why some still keep on their hospital hours as well as agency work. Agency work isn't recognised by mortgage companies therefore an NHS salary is essential if they plan to buy a property. Over 4 years of having these nurses, on and off, we have a great insight into the operation of agency nurses. They are paid astronomical amounts, have their travel expenses paid and even hotel accomodation. We live in Hampshire and have had nurses travelling from place such as Preston, Swansea, Leicester and regularily from Bristol. If agencies are going to pay these high wages and the hospitals are being held to ransom to pay their fees, then who can blame nurses for taking advantage of agency work. I am not saying any of these nurses are not caring but if there is more money to be had, who would refuse it.My observations while my husband was recently in hospital for 7 months was the amount of waste of equipment etc. and resources. Also lack of organisation on the ward which wasted many, many, many hours.
Angency workers are eating up NHS funds although there are many other areas where there is waste and need to be addressed.
20-07-2016, 12:05 AM
17
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
Originally Posted by Morticia
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A thought sprang to mind .... These agency staff ..nurses and doctors.
Who are they?
.
Agency work provides an opportunity to work occasionally to make up the hours to maintain a registration .
20-07-2016, 12:24 AM
18
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
Originally Posted by Goldielocks
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Are these threads deliberately posted to upset and annoy people who have devoted their time and energies to the caring profession.
I would say the main reason for the need to employ agency nurses is down to inefficient management (see my comment in the post above about bank staff).
20-07-2016, 08:36 AM
20
Re: Are Nursing Agencies fleecing the NHS?
The bank system was employed by my hospital last year, and the standard of nursing staff was better than the agency staff. How ever i wonder how these agency's can justify some of the costs involved, as im sure it is not going to the staff employed.The whole system needs looking at, and who is behind these agency's to see if there is any conflict of interest.
Tax payers want their money to be spent well, not frittered away.
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