Protecting Choice, Standards and Patient Safety – Why We Fully Back the REC Petition

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation are absolutely right to raise concerns about rapid cuts to agency staffing and we fully back their petition. Cutting agency usage at speed is not the answer. It removes choice for healthcare workers, risks patient safety and, in most cases, ends up costing the NHS more.

This is not just an industry debate. The decisions being made now will directly impact every agency we work with, the professionals you place, the clients you serve and ultimately the patients who rely on those services. If these changes go ahead without proper consultation, they will strip away flexibility, squeeze compliant agencies out of the market and leave gaps that put lives at risk.

We have spent the last few weeks speaking with agency owners, NHS workforce leads, compliance specialists and policy makers. The message has been the same from everyone. Rushed change might sound good in theory but in reality it creates staffing gaps, piles more pressure on permanent staff and increases the risk to patients. That is why the REC’s voice is so important. They are taking the real picture to decision-makers and ensuring that agencies, workers and patients are represented.

Agency staff have a legal right to choose how they work. That right is built into UK employment law and tied to fundamental human rights, including the freedom to work. For many professionals, agency work is not a fallback. It is a deliberate choice that provides control, flexibility and the ability to balance life with career. Removing that choice without full consultation is short-sighted, damaging and wrong.

The numbers prove the point. In 2023/24 the NHS spent approximately £3.4 billion on agency staffing, around 2.3 per cent of the total staffing bill. Bank staff spending rose from £1.4 billion to £1.9 billion, which pushed total temporary staffing costs up by 18 per cent — an extra £470 million. Agency spending actually fell slightly from £1.15 billion to £1.13 billion, but the increase in bank spend wiped out any savings. The evidence is clear: cutting agencies has not saved the NHS money.

Our business has been built on doing things the right way every single time. We never cut corners, we never compromise on standards and we never chase a short-term gain at the expense of safety, compliance or reputation. From rigorous vetting to occupational health clearance, from high-quality training to safe and thorough onboarding, we invest heavily in getting it right because that is what protects your business and your candidates.

We know that when margins are squeezed too far, it is the agencies and partners who operate to these high standards who take the hit. If the rates do not cover what it costs to maintain compliance, good providers are forced to walk away or operate at a loss. That is how the most reliable and professional operators get pushed out, and when that happens the wrong kind of compliance service company steps in.

We are not talking about the fully accredited, reputable providers we choose to work with, who share our values and standards. We mean the cheaper operators who promise savings but deliver shortcuts. On paper they might look appealing. In practice they cut corners — incomplete vetting, training that does not meet the standard, skipped interviews and sign-offs without proper clinical checks. We see this happening right now and we know patient safety is always the first casualty.

We work with more than 1,500 agencies and we see every day the difference good, compliant ones make. They fill the hardest shifts, uphold standards and give skilled professionals a genuine choice in how they work. That flexibility keeps experienced staff in the system and supports permanent teams. Removing it too quickly will cause immediate damage. Services will weaken and patients will feel the impact.

The REC’s position is the right one. This change must be managed carefully so it protects patients, safeguards worker choice and delivers value for money. Agencies and partners who do things properly should be supported and championed, not pushed aside in favour of quick fixes that appear cheaper but cost more in the long run.

We are urging all our clients to take action now. This petition is not just about protecting agency workers — it is about protecting your business, your ability to deliver for the NHS and the safety of the patients you ultimately serve. We will continue to do what we have always done: stand for the highest standards, work only with reputable partners and fight for a fair and safe system that works for everyone.

Please sign the petition today and share it widely. Every single signature sends a clear message to government that this change must be stopped or slowed until it can be done safely, fairly and with full consultation. Our industry needs a united voice and now is the time to use it.

Sign the petition here: Stop the Government’s Plan to Ban Flexible Agency Staff from Working for the NHS