Our Services
FOR RECRUITMENT AGENTS
The UK healthcare system has a world class reputation for its high quality and standards. The UK has a free publicly-funded healthcare system – the National Health System (NHS). The NHS is funded through taxation rather than health insurance. There is also a smaller private healthcare sector that people can choose to use.
Each region of the UK has its own NHS body (NHS England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and NHS Northern Ireland). The differences between the regional health services are mainly structural and how some of the services are delivered.
The NHS in England is overseen by the Department of Health. NHS England is responsible for commissioning primary care services such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists. Since 2013, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) have had the responsibility of commissioning secondary care services in local areas, which are:
- planned hospital care;
- rehabilitative care;
- urgent and emergency care;
- most community health services;
- mental health and learning disability services
There have been many structural changes to the NHS over the years. Many private companies and charities have become more involved in running services in recent years. All services are publicly funded and the government is ultimately accountable, although in reality it is more of a public private partnership in terms of delivery.
A local general practitioner (GP) is the first point of contact for most medical queries aside from emergencies. They can provide assessments and advice for most illnesses and complaints, prescribing medication or referring onto a specialist if necessary. Hospitals provide secondary care services in the UK and will need a referral from the GP for most treatment other than emergency treatment. There are two types of hospital in the UK – NHS hospitals which are free, and independent hospital run by private companies or charities which usually charge. NHS hospitals are run by NHS Trusts. Most general hospitals will offer accident and emergency (A&E), maternity services, surgery, elderly care and outpatient services. There are also a number of specialist hospitals (e.g. eye hospitals, orthopedic hospitals, etc.).
NHS has a huge requirement to fill vacancies and therefore has to look outside UK and Europe to employ people to supplement their traditional workforce resourcing policies. International recruitment is necessary in healthcare because of staff shortages in NHS Trusts and some parts of the wider NHS, e.g. in general practice. In an economy currently close to full employment, there are recruitment difficulties and skill shortages across the public sector. International recruitment is a relatively speedy solution to skill gaps, since training home-grown workers can take up to three years or longer depending on the job role. It is now an in-built part of Trust resourcing strategies, and the Department of Health has supported international recruitment through a number of specific routes,
If you are an healthcare agent and has a successful track record with a quality database of potential candidates we can help you with the placement, processing the applications and earn a commission share that we receive from our contracted Trusts or Suppliers on the Framework.
FOR INSTITUTIONS
The NHS would not be able to function without its international workforce, who account for 1 in every 8 people who work in the health service. Increased ethical international recruitment will be vital to addressing the current NHS workforce crisis.
Some regions are more dependent on international staff than others. For example, international staff make up more than a quarter of the workforce in London compared to just 5 per cent in the North East.
The number and proportion of international staff in the NHS has been increasing. The service has a long history of recruiting international staff to supplement its ‘home-grown’ workforce. In recent years the overall number and proportion of international staff has grown; this has been due to an increase in staff from non-EEA countries while those from other EEA nations has remained static.
The NHS international workforce is very diverse. While recruitment campaigns in specific countries have seen large numbers of staff from particular nations joining the NHS workforce (for example, India, Ireland and the Philippines make up more than a third of all international staff), the data from March 2019 shows that more than 200 nationalities are represented.
Some job roles in the NHS are more reliant on international staff than others. International staff make up over 25 per cent of the medical workforce, compared to less than five percent of managers.
Immigration policy, particularly after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, will need to support the NHS to attract and retain the skilled workers it needs.
Relocating abroad is a massive investment for potential staff and their families. They look for advice and guidance from friends and family, but also seek expert help from professional healthcare advisers and agents. Agents can guide candidates through the application process and into the Trust that will best suit their specific needs. The demand for agent services is candidate-led, and agents will typically offer the following services:
- healthcare career counselling
- arranging language tests
- preparing applications to Trusts
- pre-departure briefings
- visa and immigration advice
- help with flights and accommodation
Good agents look after the interests of both the candidates and the employers. They shine a positive light on UK culture and enable the recruitment of suitable applicants. Agents also help employers promote their brand and ethos, and provide access to candidates in countries that are otherwise difficult to recruit from.
This may be a candidate’s first time away from home, and family understandably have concerns. Agents can reassure them about candidate support mechanisms, and provide advice on life in the UK, accommodation, and application information, so that candidates are well prepared for when they take up their employment. A candidate’s relationship with the agent does not end after they arrive in the UK. Candidates will contact the agent if they want to bring their friends and family. or have complaints.
We help UK healthcare employers by providing them eligible candidates through our partner local healthcare agents from across the globe.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Global demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is at unprecedented levels and several countries have placed export bans on the sale of PPE. UK Government guidance states that any clinician or care professional working within 2 metres of a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patient should wear an apron, gloves, a surgical mask and eye protection. Clinicians carrying out tasks that could generate airborne droplets are required to use an even higher standard of protection, including disposable gowns, filtering respirators and face shielding visors.
Those most at risk within the UK are professionals working in the health and social care sectors. This is because these sectors are responsible for providing essential treatment and care for those who are either confirmed to have COVID-19, are symptomatic or are highly vulnerable. They are often in prolonged close contact with individuals who are symptomatic or particularly vulnerable to infection. They are also the professionals who are most likely to conduct the most high-risk procedures called aerosol generating procedures (AGPs), for which the highest level of PPE is recommended. It is therefore fundamental that health and care staff conducting these procedures are prioritised for access to and supply of PPE so that they can do their job safely.
The social care sector plays a vital role in the response to COVID-19, providing care to some of the most vulnerable in our society, as well as helping to move patients who no longer require acute care into the most appropriate settings. Equally, care workers must provide personal care for vulnerable individuals. Consequently, ensuring their access to PPE is important.
Health care providers needs to make sure that they have enough supply of PPE. This is achieved buying more from overseas and making more at home. While UK manufacturers are gearing up home production the medium-term solution is to buy from abroad.
We entered into the PPE arena due to our existing buyers wanting an agent to vet suppliers and to negotiate the best bulk deals. We have been shortlisting a vendor list and vetting suppliers from Middle East, India and Vietnam, were we have our Q&Q partners in country of origin to ensure that our clients requirements are fully matched by the suppliers specification. We are delivery-focused and ensure that all our manufacturers have the relevant accreditation and certification processes relevant to the industry standard.
Most manufacturing facilities will need long lead time for production, depending on the size of the order, complexity of manufacturing and seasonality. Through our relationship we try to make this shorter so that our buyers get a fast turnaround service.
We work with a number of trusted global logistics providers and are able to customise logistic solutions as per your requirements. We pay special attention to global customs regulations, relevant documentation and duty filings and are happy to provide suggestions on cost-savings for your shipping.
We will represent you in that import journey owning the responsibility of the procurement process right from supplier qualification, conformity certificates, right up to the delivery of the product.
