The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Agency Staffing in the NHS

As the NHS continues to navigate immense pressure—from staffing shortages to mounting waiting lists—there’s a growing directive to reduce reliance on agency staffing and shift temporary labour through internal staff banks.

On paper, the strategy seems logical: keep spend internal, reduce perceived agency costs, and increase workforce stability. But scratch beneath the surface, and this narrative reveals a flawed and potentially harmful approach—one that may be costing the taxpayer more, not less, while risking the quality and continuity of patient care.

At Globe Workforce Solutions, we believe it’s time to take a more honest, transparent look at how we structure the healthcare workforce. Because the truth is: agencies remain essential, and removing them from the picture is both short-sighted and potentially dangerous.

Staff Banks Have Their Role—But They’re Not Built for Everything

Internal staff banks are valuable. They offer a pool of familiar, local professionals who can cover ad hoc shifts, often at a lower cost than agency workers. However, they are inherently limited in both capacity and flexibility.

Staff banks are not designed to bring in migratory labour—specialist clinicians who travel from different regions or countries to plug urgent or long-standing workforce gaps. This is precisely where agency staffing steps in.

Through our clinical delivery arm, Globe Locums, we support NHS Trusts by providing fully compliant, pre-screened professionals across a wide range of specialities and geographies—helping fill essential rotas, reduce backlogs, and safeguard patient outcomes.

The Illusion of Savings: A False Economy

Many NHS trusts and integrated care boards are encouraged to report reductions in agency usage as a sign of success. But in many cases, these savings are simply shifted elsewhere—not eliminated.

• Increased admin for in-house teams
• Higher overtime costs for staff banks
• Reduced service capacity and unfilled shifts
• Cancelled clinics and delayed patient care

These indirect costs rarely appear in headline reports, but they are very real—and often more expensive in the long run. This creates a false economy where the workforce looks more efficient on paper, but the system becomes stretched, reactive, and unsustainable.

Agencies Are Regulated, Transparent, and Necessary

There’s a lingering misconception that agency usage means uncontrolled cost. But the reality is that agencies operate under strict NHS frameworks and provide a vital service that ensures flexibility and continuity of care.

At Globe Workforce Solutions, we work through approved frameworks including NHS Workforce Alliance and HealthTrust Europe. We provide:

• Fully vetted and qualified healthcare professionals
• Governance and compliance that exceeds statutory standards
• Transparent pricing aligned with framework rates
• Scalable and responsive workforce solutions

We don’t just provide people—we deliver sustainable workforce partnerships that protect service delivery and patient outcomes.

Labour Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

Healthcare workforce planning is complex. Professions like radiography, physiotherapy, biomedical science, and AHPs all have distinct market demands, training timelines, and pay structures.

Trying to apply blanket policies across all specialisms only worsens instability. Market volatility, staff attrition, and clinical risk increase when the nuances of each profession are ignored.

Much of the pressure around pay and supply is not caused by agencies—but by a long-term failure to invest in training, workforce development, and retention.

What the NHS Needs: Balance, Transparency, and Strategy

We’re not advocating for unchecked agency use. We advocate for a smarter model—where agency, bank, insourcing, and outsourcing are all used strategically, based on need.

The NHS needs a transparent workforce plan that accounts for real costs, encourages collaboration, and prioritises service continuity over political optics.

Agencies aren’t the problem. They’re part of the solution.

Final Word from Globe Workforce Solutions

At Globe Workforce Solutions, we are proud to support NHS Trusts with compliant, flexible, and responsive workforce solutions that align with internal staffing strategies and long-term service planning.

We don’t just fill shifts—we protect services, working closely with procurement and clinical teams to provide dependable, cost-effective labour models that work in the real world.

If your trust is seeking a smarter approach to workforce planning, get in touch today and let’s build a sustainable staffing strategy—together.