​As a locum healthcare professional working for the NHS, you may have heard employers and colleagues use the term ‘NHS Framework Agencies’. But what does it mean and why is it so important in healthcare recruitment?

What are NHS Framework Agencies?

Frameworks for the supply of temporary healthcare workers were introduced as a way of vetting compliant agencies to supply to the NHS. This helps to ensure the safe placement of healthcare professionals.

NHS Framework Agencies are audited by the relevant framework body before being allocated a place to supply. This provides reassurance to both the employer and the agency worker.

How are NHS Framework Agencies awarded a place?

Agencies such as Sanctuary Personnel must apply through a rigorous tender process and provide detailed information about their recruitment business. Such information includes their policies and procedures around the safe supply of staff, including robust compliance as well as how they can supply in volume.

How many NHS staffing frameworks are there?

There are quite a few across the UK that NHS Framework Agencies feature on. For example, Sanctuary Personnel has been awarded a place on the following:

• Collaborative Procurement Partnership (CPP) (England)

• HealthTrust Europe (HTE) (England)

• Crown Commercial Services (CCS) (England)

• NHS Scotland (Scotland)

• NHS Wales

• Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI)

Each framework has its own vetting and approval process, including specific compliance standards. That’s why Sanctuary Personnel has one of the most robust compliance processes on the market to ensure that it can safely recruit staff and meet the needs of all the frameworks it is on.

It’s worth mentioning that within each framework there are ‘Lots’ – groupings of job roles that agencies can recruit for.

What are the benefits to me as a candidate?

This is quite a popular question, especially when NHS framework agencies pay rates are capped in line with the guidance set out by Monitor. The main reason is the broad variety of job opportunities that are available to you through an ‘on-framework’ agency. Then there’s the security aspect.

If you’re registered with an agency that is not on framework to supply to the NHS, they may not follow the same rigorous security checks of those they supply.

What are the plus points for NHS clients?

There are many benefits for NHS employers using NHS Framework Agencies – far too many for this landing page alone even, but as a quick overview, here are the top-line pros:

• Your temporary staff are thoroughly vetted in accordance with compliance processes set out by the framework provider

• It’s easier to be in control of capped rates of pay

• You can recruit a broad range of professionals by accessing on-framework agencies

• It’s easier to recruit in volume

• You’re in more control of your recruitment spend

Why is Sanctuary Personnel an NHS Framework Agency?

Sanctuary Personnel has been an on-framework agency for several years now. As an ethical recruiter to the NHS, it’s important that we can help our clients recruit in the most cost-effective and safest way possible. Being an NHS Framework Agency helps to ensure this.

Being on the largest frameworks across the UK has enabled us to build some fantastic trusted relationships with NHS employers. It’s one of the reasons why we’re one of the leading health and social care recruiters in the UK.

You can discover more about the frameworks we’re on by visiting our Healthcare frameworks page on our website. If however, you would like to talk to us directly on how we could help you with your resourcing needs please contact us today!