Flexible Nursing

Report for NHS Professionals

Mercer M, Buchan J, Chubb C | Report 184 | NHS Professionals | Jul 2010

This literature review focuses on flexible resourcing of nursing staff in the National Health Service (NHS) through the three main types of temporary nursing staff; bank nurses, agency nurses and nurses provided through NHS Professionals. It also examines flexible working arrangements for permanent nurses within the NHS.

The report considers:

  • the levels and trends in the use of bank and agency nurses and nurses provided through NHS Professionals and the levels and trends in flexible working arrangements for substantive staff
  • the profile of the temporary nursing workforce and the profile of permanent staff with flexible working arrangements
  • the costs and benefits of using bank and agency nurses and flexible contracts
  • the impact of bank and agency and flexible working arrangements on patient safety and patient care
  • how an effective balance is determined between the use of the substantive and temporary nursing workforce
  • potential areas for new primary research in order to address current knowledge gaps.

The report has been archived by NHS Professionals and is no longer available