Almost 600 social workers have been directly employed by Health
& Social Care Trusts in the 18 months since agency
recruitment was ceased.
This includes both former agency and newly qualified social
workers.
In July 2023, Health and Social Care Trusts ceased all social
work agency usage in Northern Ireland following intensive work
between the Department of Health and the specialist healthcare
recruitment services company Healthdaq.
Health Minister paid tribute to those involved
in the initiative after the Department and Healthdaq were awarded
joint winners of an Excellence in Public Service HR Award in
London in recognition of the project's success.
The Minister said: “I highly commend the tireless efforts
and collaboration between my Department, HSC Trust
representatives and Healthdaq in ensuring the successful delivery
of this significant initiative.
“Spend on recruitment agency social workers over the last
10 years totalled almost £75million.
“With our HSC system facing continued budgetary
pressures, ending agency usage has been an important step to
take. But it's not just about the costs. The main driver of this
work has always been to stabilise the workforce and as a result,
improve social work services.
“HSC staff have also clearly told us that the use of
agency social workers is counterproductive, unfair and impacts
negatively on morale. Having ended its use, we would expect to
see improved and more consistent social work services for adults,
children and families.
“I want to congratulate all those involved in winning
this award.”
The policy decision to end agency social worker use was announced
in December 2022 and implemented in June 2023.
Intensive collaboration between the Department, Trusts and
Healthdaq resulted in the majority of social workers who had been
working in an agency capacity choosing to apply for permanent HSC
posts.
With the assistance of local universities and colleges,
arrangements were also made to create a quick and effective
recruitment pathway for newly qualified social workers into Trust
vacancies within weeks of the completion of their training
courses.
Aine Morrison, Chief Social Worker, said: “I am delighted that we
have received this award. It is a fitting testimony to what can
be achieved when different parts of a system work together to
achieve a clear, common goal.
“Effective social work services are built on sustained and
meaningful relationships. The changes we have made to date
provide an opportunity to establish a stable and consistent
workforce for the future and the potential to improve the
services our social workers provide everyday. I am really
grateful to everyone who contributed to making this happen.”
Stephen McLarnon, Chief Executive, Healthdaq, said: “We at
Healthdaq are proud to have been part of the effort to deliver on
this important workforce stabilisation and agency cost-saving
initiative led by the Department on behalf of HSCNI.
“The award brings well deserved recognition to a team that has
worked tirelessly to achieve measurable and impactful results.
Congratulations to all.”
The move to end social work agency recruitment is part of an
overall drive by the Department to reduce agency staff costs
across the health service. www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/one-year-minister-welcomes-agency-progress
Notes to editors:
- The numbers of social workers recruited into the HSC Trusts
since April 2023:
April to September 2023 - 160 former agency
social workers recruited to HSC vacancies
June to September
2023 - 209
newly qualified social workers appointed to Trust vacancies
June to September
2024 - 221 newly qualified
social workers appointed to Trust vacancies
October 2023 to present
- 0 social workers employed by a
recruitment agency working in Trusts
- Social work agency costs have reduced from a high of
£10.6million in 2019/2020, to £0 to date in 2024/2025.
- On 19 November, the Department and Healthdaq were joint
winners of the 2024 Excellence in Public Service award at the
Personnel Today Awards ceremony in London.
