Flexible Healthcare Resourcing platform is a first for MoD

A new digital Staff Bank has been rolled out for the Ministry of Defence, allowing compliant, flexible workers priority access to assignments across the UK and abroad as they become available.

The platform was launched by HCRG (Health Care Resourcing Group) and designed in collaboration with healthcare staffing specialists Patchwork Health.

The platform will be used to assign temporary doctors, nurses, dental professionals, and allied health professionals. The assigned flexible workers will support the permanent military and civilian workforce in the provision of primary, as well as secondary, healthcare, and dental and mental health services.

Assignments will be available in UK and Overseas tri-service military locations, offering a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to practice their skill base in various primary and secondary healthcare, dental and mental health service settings.

Healthtech company Patchwork holds various collaborative banks for NHS Trusts throughout the UK. Their technology will allow members of the Staff Bank to accept assignments through an app designed by and for healthcare professionals. The app is created to provide a more efficient assignment process and ensure every flexible worker is fully compliant.

The Staff Bank welcomes applications from all healthcare professionals, including those with previous locum or permanent MoD experience, but current permanent MOD Military and MOD Civil Servants cannot join the platform.

Gezz van Zwanenberg, COO at HCRG, said: “Our teams have worked previously as master vendor supplier of healthcare staff to the MOD for a number of years historically, so it’s an honour for HCRG to have now been chosen to provide the organisation with their flexible healthcare resource.”

Dr Anas Nader, CEO and co-founder of Patchwork Health, commented: “Digital staff banks are the future of temporary healthcare provision. They offer a dynamic, reliable and safe way of ensuring healthcare settings have the clinicians they need, when they need them. Crucially, this system not only drives up safe worker levels, but also makes the experience better for the individual worker, meaning the entire system benefits. We’re delighted to be partnering with HCRG to deliver this critical project to the MOD.”

Russell Pidducci, Account Director at HCRG, commented: “This new Staff Bank offers flexible opportunities that will interest a wide range of healthcare professionals. The technology makes it incredibly easy to view and book assignments, ranging from single day opportunities to longer term assignments lasting a few months. Whereas previously healthcare professionals may have been waiting on the call from locum agencies, we’re now providing instant, priority access to assignments as they go live via the app, allowing for professionals to self-book assignments 24/7.”