Working alongside many care homes, nursing homes and supported living units on a daily basis gives QS Care a front row seat to witness the multitude of challenges that the health and social care sector is currently facing.
In this article, we look at how QS Care can support the healthcare industry through providing valuable staffing solutions.
It is no surprise that moving into 2024, the healthcare industry remains on the UK Occupation Shortage List with all roles within the sector still being included.
Though initiatives have been put in place, such as the sponsorship of international care staff, the care vacancy rate remains above the levels that were seen prior to the Covid pandemic.
The team at QS Care work tirelessly to thoroughly exploit every recruitment channel available to them to recruit as many experienced care workers as possible.
Such channels include access to multiple job boards, numerous social media platforms as well as an extensive in-house database.
We also offer online training courses to update any lapsed certificates to incentivise past Carers back into the industry.
As with a lot of industries, labour is one of the largest costs facing care providers. An expense which is due to rise further with the upcoming national living wage increase this April.
Utilising the services of an agency can initially be perceived as expensive, however in many situations this is not actually the case.
Using temporary staff allows care providers much needed labour flexibility, meaning that labour is only paid for when it is required. If service user numbers are down, the staffing numbers can easily be decreased. The labour bill only rising again in line with an increase in service user numbers.
Alongside this flexibility, QS Care also take away all associated labour costs. These would include, advertising charges, recruiting costs and payroll fees. However, savings are not made solely in terms of money, but also in terms of time. Outsourcing recruitment affords care managers valuable time they need to attend to other tasks within their role.
Whilst some care homes are set in beautiful locations, their remoteness can lead to difficulties in recruitment due to a lack of regular public transport.
This is an issue we have faced many times at QS Care. Our solution is to work in partnership with each remote care home and recruit specifically for that home.
By discussing the complexities of the location and advising solutions, we have been able to successfully place care staff into these areas.
The notoriously high turnover of care staff has always been a challenge within the industry.
At times of high turnover, care homes often turn to care agencies to fill the shortage, seeing the temporary staffing as a short-term quick fix.
However, QS Care should be considered as a viable option when it comes to finding permanent staff for care providers.
We rigorously interview, vet and reference our care staff prior to presenting them to a home, reducing a lot of leg work for the care home. Should they wish to, every Care Manager also has the option to interview the care workers themselves before offering them any work.
The worker will then carry out several shifts, during which time the Care Manager can determine their suitability for their home. Upon completion of the temporary shifts, the care worker becomes a permanent member of the team. This is known as a temp to perm agreement.
Should the worker turn out not to be suitable, QS Care will simply source a replacement, saving the care home both time and money.
Take a look at our website here to see what types of staff we can supply on this temp to perm basis
Unsuitable staff is a challenge we hear about time and time again.
At QS Care we have developed several safeguards to assist in providing the right Carers for the role.
In addition, our bespoke in-house database features a very effective built in blocking system. The individual requirements from each care provider (such as holding certain mandatory training certificates) are entered under their record. When a worker is placed on a booking for that home, the database will automatically block the booking should the care worker not have the specified requirements outlined by our care client.
In reality we have only scratched the surface when it comes to looking at the challenges faced by the health and social care sector, and sadly these challenges don’t show any sign of easing in the immediate months of 2024. We believe that it is now more important than ever to work in partnership with QS Care rather than simply viewing us as a temporary staffing solution.
Over the years we have played an integral part in the smooth and safe running of many care establishments throughout Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, never more so than throughout the Covid crisis. We can boast longevity within the healthcare recruitment industry and have team members from a healthcare background, giving peace of mind that you are in safe hands.
Speak to one of our team today about the challenges you are facing. We can arrange a visit with yourselves to discuss the issues and develop viable, beneficial, cost effective solutions.
