How a workforce system enhances the flexibility of bank shifts for NHS Trusts and healthcare professionals

In this article, we highlight how NHS Trusts have increased flexibility, agility and transparency with their workforce through a committed bank-first approach, benefiting the Trust and healthcare professionals. Through every step of the funnel, we show how NHS Trusts have the best possible chance of filling shifts with their staff bank in a user-friendly, efficient and straightforward way. We take you through this bank-first approach, showing how our system allows for truly flexible working and how it is unique in our ecosystem.

The Locum’s Nest system enables Hospital Managers and Rota Coordinators to give plenty of notice to bank staff by putting shifts out in advance on the Locum’s Nest app. But at the same time allows flexibility for bank staff to apply to and complete last-minute shifts, within safety barriers. Offering such flexibility to bank staff restricts the criteria and number of shifts going to agency, increasing efficiencies and saving money for NHS Trusts.

The shift card & timesheets 

Through our web app platform Rota Coordinators, Hospital Managers and those working within Temporary Workforce teams can create shifts that will go live on to the Locum’s Nest app, allowing over 50,000 healthcare professionals to have visibility of these shifts. The way in which this is visualised is important for our mobile app users, putting a staggering volume of shift data into a user-friendly, enjoyable process for all mobile app users - known as the ‘shift card’. Much like browsing for a product, the key information must be prominent to help our mobile app users make an informed decision quickly, i.e., whether to apply for a shift or not. The shift card includes:

• the date and time of the shift

• amount paid per hour

• the department

• the position/seniority level required for the shift. 

It is positioned in the simplest way for users to glance, click and apply or carry on scrolling for alternative shifts - making it time efficient and simple.

The majority of shifts are planned and put out in advance to increase the chances a shift will be filled. The majority of shifts are planned and put out in advance to increase the chances a shift will be filled. The data suggests there is approximately a 60% increase in shift fill rate between publishing shifts less than 5 days in advance of the shift to when it begins, in comparison to more than 60 days; highlighting the significant benefits and efficiencies that come with planning.

When a shift is complete, healthcare professionals submit a timesheet and track this all through the app. It looks almost like a loading bar, showing you where in the process your timesheet is at. It helps decrease any potential stress and healthcare professionals can check this as and when they like, putting them in complete control of their pay. 

How Locum’s Nest allows for flexibility when real life kicks in…

With a bank-first approach top of mind, throughout 2021, hundreds of thousands of shifts were published on Locum’s Nest, out of which nearly 90% were planned and published in advance in the job listings. Planning shifts is the best practice for all parties involved:

• Healthcare professionals can better plan their lives

• Hospital Managers are enabled to better plan their rotas meaning fewer last-minute struggles to fill gaps

• There is better financial planning & accrual process

However, real-life must be taken into account, which has become increasingly important since the emergence of Covid-19 in 2020. Sometimes, there are last-minute gaps in the rota with a bank worker willing to fill but no staff on the ground to post the shift. This is where Locum’s Nest’s retrospective timesheet option comes into play. The shift can then be created automatically by the healthcare professional to allow for accurate reporting whilst the healthcare professional gets paid as normal.

In 2021, approximately 12% of all shifts worked through Locum’s Nest were last-minute shifts - where a timesheet was submitted, retrospectively creating the shift by a healthcare professional. This feature is used in case of emergencies or sickness and although  Covid-19 continues to affect the NHS, the number is likely to reduce. Through Locum’s Nest Intelligence, NHS Trusts can literally harness their data today, to impact their future tomorrow! For example, NHS Trusts can filter by department and keep an eye on planned vs unplanned shifts, meaning if there are any potential issues with misuse, they can be rectified quickly - such as training or developing a deeper understanding of staff shortages.

Flexibility with safety nets

The unplanned shifts feature enables the system to have flexibility accounting for real life to ultimately increase the shift fill rate (percentage of shifts filled) but within safety barriers. Some include:

• Control around the timeframe of unplanned shifts can be created after a shift is complete. The time frame can be changed by each Trust.

• Approval thresholds can be set for each staff member responsible for approving ad-hoc timesheets.

• Through our rate violation system, there are hard stops for rate caps. Each Trust has a rate cap and when a healthcare professional is submitting a timesheet, if the amount being submitted is above the rate cap, they will be unable to submit. It accounts for any typos and ensures approvals are accurate.

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If you would like to know more about how a bank-first approach enables more effective planning, and better workforce efficiencies, whilst having a system accounting for real-life situations, get in touch with Ahmed Shahrabani at ahmed@locumsnest.co.uk.