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Written question asked by Oliver Heald (Conservative) on Tuesday, 17 November 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 November 2015. It was answered by Ben Gummer (Conservative) on Wednesday, 25 November 2015 on behalf of the Department of Health.

NHS and Social Services: Agency Workers

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what checks locum agencies are required to make when they sub-contract the provision of staff to other locum agencies for temporary workers in the NHS or social services; what steps are taken to ensure proper checks are made on the quality and character of such staff; and if he will make a statement.

Answer

Providers of regulated health and social care services must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and comply with certain fundamental standards, including those relating to the employment of fit and proper persons.


In the National Health Service, employing organisations have the overarching responsibility for auditing and monitoring compliance of third party suppliers of temporary workers (including locum doctors) to ensure that they operate to the same level of standards in relation to undertaking pre-appointment checks as outlined by the NHS Employment Check Standards. Under the framework agreements, all external staffing providers (including contractors and agencies) are required to provide assurances that they have robust recruitment processes in place in line with the NHS Employment Check Standards.


Care workers also routinely use agencies to secure employment or apply to care homes and care providers directly. Employers in the care sector have a duty of care to patients and their families to take all appropriate action to ensure employees have the appropriate credentials to enable them to work in the sector. In cases of direct payment, where the council pays the care-recipient directly to employ a carer, this responsibility falls to the care recipient.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
16659
Session
2015-16
Related items
Social Workers: Employment Agencies
Friday, 8 January 2016
Written questions
House of Commons
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
NHS Vetting Social services Agency workers
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk