FOI2026/2104

I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act regarding Temporary Staff Management. Please can you complete the below questions. 

Sourced Staffing Arrangements

1a. Do you have a master vendor (MV) or neutral vendor (NV) arrangement in place for sourcing agency staff? If so, please state which arrangement is in place

1b. What is the name of the MV/NV provider(s) and what staffing groups do they source? e.g. medical, nursing etc.                                                                                                                

1c. As part of the arrangement, is any NV technology provided by the supplier to help manage the procurement of agency staff?                                                               

1d. Please provide the contract start and end date for the supplier (dd/mm/yy)                                                                                   

Direct Engagement

2a. Does the organisation use a third party to provide a Direct Engagement/Outsourced Employment Solution*?                                                 

2b. What is the name of the Direct Engagement (DE)/Outsourced Employment supplier**                                                                      

2c. Under the DE/Outsourced Employment arrangement, which staffing groups are managed? For example; Medical, Admin, Scientific staff. Please list all applicable                 

2d. Please provide the contract start and end date for the DE supplier (dd/mm/yy)

2e. How much did the organisation pay the supplier in 25/26 (April 2025 to March 2026) for the provision of the direct engagement service?  

2f. What type of Direct Engagement contract is in place between the trust and the worker?  E.g. Fixed term, casual, zero hours etc.  

2g. Are workers issued a P45 at the end of their assignment?

2h. Does your DE provider process DE payroll?

2i. If not, who is responsible for processing DE payroll?

2j. Who is responsible for inputting timesheet data into your DE solution?  

2k. Who is responsible for inputting workers’ bank details into the DE solution?

Bank Management

3a. Please name the technology provider used to manage the supply of your bank staff, inclusive of any outsourced or managed arrangements *** If more than one supplier is used, please name all suppliers 
 
3b. Please name the staffing group each provider is used for e.g. medical, nursing, AHPs, admin and clerical                                                                                                                                    
3c. Please provide the contract start and end date for each bank supplier (dd/mm/yy) 
 
3d. How much did the organisation pay the supplier(s) in 25/26 for the provision of the bank service?

*This is where the NHS organisation sources agency staff via a recruitment agency but hold a direct contract between the organisation and the worker – there is often VAT savings associated to this employment model

** e.g Allocate/RL Datix, PlusUs, Retinue, Liaison, NHS Professionals, Agile Workforce/Holt, Litmus/Medacs etc

***i.e. NHSP, Bank Partners, RL Datix/Allocate, Liaison, Patchwork, Locum’s Nest etc

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act. Please note, NHS Greater Manchester ICB is a commissioner of healthcare, rather than an NHS Provider, therefore the volume of agency staff utilised by NHS GM is limited, and significantly smaller than that utilised by NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts.

1. NHS GM do not have a single primary staffing agency (MV) through which all agency staff are sourced or an arrangement where one supplier sources staff via third parties (NV).
2.  NHS GM does not use a third party to provide a Direct Engagement/Outsourced Employment Solution.                          
3. N/a. However, NHS GM does operate a limited bank staffing arrangement through NHS Professionals. Any technology used in that service is through NHS Professionals.