November « 2009 « Go To Recruitment Employment Blog

25/11/2009

Healthcare recruitment agencies still required at cash strapped NHS Trust

The South London Healthcare NHS Trust which is trying to save money at the moment is still using agency staff to run its operations.

The trust which was newly formed in April this year has been unable to shake of its needs in terms of temporary staff and is actively working with healthcare recruitment agencies in particularly nurses recruitment agencies to continue operating to a sufficient standard.

The main reason for this was given by a trust spokesman that said since the formation of the new trust it has now inherited a number of new sites that were over-reliant on temporary staff. The use of locum agencies is in a range of areas such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, pharmacy and of course the main area nurses.

The trust has also denied rumours that they are closing Orpington Hospital but did confirm they will be moving planned surgery from the Hospital to Queen Mary’s to save a £1m, a year. The trust is also looking at other ways they can reduce costs, such as inpatient beds, maternity services and paediatric services.

It is notable that in this present time, healthcare NHS trust, have to be conservative with their funds but of course there main priority has to be providing a quality healthcare service and that will always require trained and professional people working there, be it on a permanent basis or through a locum agency.

Filed under: healthcare recruitment agencies,locum agencies,Nurses recruitment agencies — admin @ 13:00

17/11/2009

Modelling recruitment agencies have been warned

In the world of entertainment and modelling some recruitment agencies have taken advantage of their situation and acted in an unscrupulous manner, which has depicted all agencies in the same poor light.

Recruitment agencies in this sector are quite different from other sectors as many of them will charge the aspiring models or artists to go on a portfolio as such for potential employers to see. However due to the abundance of rogue traders that exist out there, many are charging extortionate amounts with little results.

Business Minister Pat Mcfadden said that they introduced a cooling off period for agencies charging upfront fees, but due to the number of reports they are still receiving from candidates being exploited, the cooling off period will now be made permanent from October 2010 all recruitment agencies in this sector will not be allowed to charge any fees upfront.

This kind of action should hopefully put an end to the rogue traders out there and allow modelling and entertainment recruitment agencies to gain an improved reputation.

Filed under: city recruitment agencies,entertainment recruitment agencies — admin @ 13:14

12/11/2009

Employment agencies could be affected by “British Jobs for British Workers” statement

Gordon Brown faced much criticism for his statement of “British Jobs for British Workers”, in fact since making this statement, official figures now show that foreign workers are accounting for an increasing proportion of new vacancies.

This has led to Mr Brown to look at current rules and is expected today to make some major changes in immigration laws. At present employers must advertise their vacancies through Job Centre Plus for 2 weeks before looking at overseas staff. The Migration Advisory Committee has recommended this to change to 4 weeks before looking at overseas workers and it is expected that Gordon Brown will commit to this for 2010.

Employment agencies play a key part in filling these jobs with a network of available candidates overseas and so such new regulations would affect their business. Also employment agencies will be keeping a close eye on the points based system the home office will introduce, for people wanting to gain British citizenship.

This system which is based on the Australian system will award or take away points depending on criteria and only if you reach a certain number will you gain citizenship.

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 14:11

03/11/2009

Union point to regulation 7 of the conduct of Employment Agencies

The CWU now plans to launch a court case against Royal Mail’s management if it continues to use 30,000 agency staff. The CWU have claimed under regulation 7 of the Conduct if Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, “An employment business may not supply a temporary worker to a hirer to replace an individual taking part in an official strike or any other official industrial dispute”. The fine for such activity is £5000 per individual.

The GMB have written to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, asking him to look into the behaviour of these recruitment agencies, especially ones in Slough, Bristol and Dartford. This request was also backed with a warning that if the government did not look into this matter it will look at enforcement proceedings against the department and the Government for not acting accordingly.

Royal Mail continue there stance that the 30,000 staff is to firstly supplement the festive period, when there is naturally more mail to process and secondly to reduce the number of letters delayed. Royal Mail also provided figures of 25 million post still delayed due to the strike but this has fallen from 50 million post as a result of taking on the extra agency staff to reduce the backlog.

The CWU has also threaten further strikes on Friday and Monday unless the deadlock is broken over jobs, pay and modernisation.

Filed under: employment agencies,recruitment agencies — admin @ 15:59