Thornbury Nursing Services, an agency that provides last-minute freelance nurses to NHS hospitals, has been discovered to charge up to £2,000 a shift, according to BBC News. Glen Burley, CEO of the Foundation Group, stated that the agency targets regions with nurse shortages. Burley claims that Thornbury is “profiteering” from an overwhelmed NHS, while the agency asserts that it offers a valuable, flexible service.
Though the government claims that new measures will halt extravagant agency usage, Labour argues that the high costs stem from the “Conservatives’ failure to train enough nurses over the past 14 years.” Hospitals are required to utilize staffing agencies that function within established frameworks, with preset limits or caps on compensation, under NHS regulations. However, when critical coverage is needed at the last minute, trusts may engage off-framework agencies like Thornbury, which are not obligated to comply with pre-arranged pay scales.
The BBC found that Thornbury charges nearly £2,000 for a bank holiday shift that lasts 12 hours and is filled by a skilled pediatric nurse – an area where a workforce deficit exists. Based on the calculations of the BBC News, the agency pays the nurse about £1,050 while keeping almost £800 for itself. The agency charges 85% above what the nurse receives for a midweek afternoon and evening shift, at £91.45 per hour and £49.50 per hour, respectively. For a single Friday shift, the trust is charged almost £1,000, with £539 given to the nurse and £400 given to the agency.
Thornbury Nursing Services, owned by one of the largest companies in the sector, Independent Clinical Services (ICS), which is controlled by Jersey-based Acacium, has a turnover of almost £400m, according to firm accounts. The company’s statements indicate that less than 50% of the revenue is related to Thornbury
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