SENDhelp
Before signing with a care agency, providers should ask detailed questions about compliance, pricing, worker pool quality and service arrangements. This guide provides a framework of key questions to ask before committing to an agency relationship.
Before signing a contract with a health and social care agency, providers should ask a structured set of questions covering compliance, pricing, worker pool quality and service arrangements. The answers to these questions allow providers to assess whether an agency is suitable for their needs, to compare agencies fairly and to identify any concerns before committing to a relationship. The following framework covers the most important areas to explore.
SENDhelp supplies experienced, vetted care staff to health and social care providers across the UK. Whether you need registered nurses, support workers or specialist care staff, we can help you fill vacancies quickly and compliantly.
Ask the agency: How do you verify the right to work of each worker you supply? How do you obtain and verify references, and from how many previous employers? How do you carry out DBS checks and how long does your standard DBS process take? Do you accept workers registered with the DBS update service? How do you verify training records and what mandatory training do you require before placement? How do you monitor ongoing compliance including DBS renewal, training expiry and professional registration? Can you provide a compliance audit report for your worker pool?
Ask the agency: Can you provide a full all-inclusive rate card for all roles I am likely to need, covering all shift types and notice periods? What is included in your all-inclusive rate, specifically in relation to holiday pay and employer National Insurance? What are your transfer fee provisions and the qualifying period after which I can hire an agency worker permanently without a fee? What are your cancellation terms and charges? What are your payment terms and how are disputed hours handled?
Ask the agency: How many workers do you have registered for the specific roles I need in my local area? What proportion of your workers have been registered with you for more than 12 months? What pay rates do you offer your workers for the roles I need? What training and professional development do you provide to your registered workers? Do you have workers with experience in my specific care setting and client group? Can you provide references from current clients in similar care settings?
Ask the agency: Do you operate a 24/7 booking service and who do I contact for urgent out of hours requirements? What is your standard response time for urgent same-day bookings for care assistants and registered nurses? Will I have a named account manager who knows my service? How do you handle situations where a confirmed worker cannot attend their shift? How do you handle feedback on workers and what action do you take when a worker is reported as unsuitable?
Ask the agency: Are you a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation or any other relevant professional body? If you provide domiciliary care directly, are you CQC registered? Can you provide evidence of your compliance with the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003? Do you supply workers on any NHS procurement frameworks and if so which ones? Have you ever been subject to regulatory investigation or enforcement action by any regulatory body?
Ask the agency: Can you provide contact details for two or three current clients in similar care settings who are willing to speak with us about their experience? How long have you been operating and what care sectors do you specialise in? Have you previously provided staff to any organisations in our commissioning or regulatory network? What is your typical volume of placements per week in our local area for the roles we need? Can you show us examples of the compliance documentation you provide for placed workers?
For related information see our articles on How to Choose a Care Agency and Red Flags When Hiring a Care Agency.
Before signing with a care agency, ask about their compliance process for DBS checks, references and right to work; their full rate card with no hidden charges; their worker pool size and retention; their training investment; their 24/7 booking availability and account management; their transfer fee and cancellation terms; any relevant accreditations; and whether they can provide references from current clients in similar care settings.
Ask the agency to provide documented evidence of their compliance processes, including example compliance records for workers (redacted where necessary for data protection). Ask for their DBS policy, their reference checking procedure and their training verification protocol. Consider conducting a compliance audit before signing. Check any professional body memberships or accreditations they claim. Ask for CQC registration details if they provide domiciliary care directly.
Yes. Asking for references from two or three current clients in similar care settings is a standard part of due diligence before committing to an agency relationship. A reputable agency will be happy to provide references. If an agency is unwilling or unable to provide client references, this should be treated as a concern. Speaking directly with reference clients gives you unfiltered information about the agency’s service quality in practice.
Visit our Health and Social Care Agency Resource Hub for more guides on staffing, compliance, CQC standards, agency costs and how to choose the right care agency for your organisation.
The information in this article is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory or professional advice. Regulations, rates and compliance requirements change: always verify current requirements with the relevant regulatory body. SENDhelp Education Limited accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content. Any links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only and do not constitute endorsement of their content.
To stop receiving marketing emails or SMS’s from SENDhelp, kindly complete the form below. We strive to promptly remove your information, aiming to complete the process as soon as we receive your submission.