#feelthelove: Why the best agency relationships don’t end with agency staff

There’s a common assumption in care that agency staff and permanent staff sit on opposite sides of the fence.

One is seen as temporary. The other is seen as the long-term solution.

But I don’t think it’s as simple as that.

Because the reality is that recruiting and retaining great people has never been easy.

Finding the right person takes time. There are DBS checks to complete, references to obtain, training to verify, compliance records to review and values to assess.

And even after all of that, there’s still one big question – will they fit?

Will they understand the culture of the home? Will they care for residents in the way the service expects? Will they become part of the team?

Those are the things that really matter.

That’s why I believe agency staffing and permanent recruitment should be seen as partners, not competitors.

When an agency does things properly, much of the groundwork has already been done.

The compliance is in place. The training is up to date. The experience has been verified.

Most importantly, the person has already been seen working in a care environment.

At Care Connection Partners, we offer a 12-week temporary-to-permanent approach because sometimes the best way to know whether someone is right for a role is to see them doing it.

Not for a day or two, not during a rushed interview – but over weeks and months.

That gives everyone confidence. The care home can see how the individual works. The individual can decide whether the environment is right for them. And we can make sure the move is genuinely in everyone’s best interests.

For me, that’s where #feelthelove comes to life.

It’s about caring enough to have honest conversations and finding solutions that work for everyone involved – the care provider, the staff member and, most importantly of all, the people receiving care.

Of course, agencies should never become a substitute for building strong permanent teams. But they can be part of the journey.

When an agency worker becomes a valued permanent member of staff, I don’t see that as losing someone. I see it as proof that together we’ve helped put the right person in the right place.

And that’s something to be proud of.

• Deborah Stock, Founder and Managing Director of Care Connection Partners