The 12th of May has been celebrated since 1965 and was chosen by the International Council of Nurses to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale the founder of modern nursing.

From all the team at Nursing Personnel, we would like to wish all our agency nursing staff, nursing friends, and nursing work colleagues across the UK and today where ever you are a happy and healthy Nurse’s Day. This is even more important this year in light of the exceptionally difficult and challenging 12 months all staff in the nursing and healthcare sector have had to endure.
With a bright light now shining at the end of the tunnel we hope we can put the dark days behind us and look forward to a prosperous summer and 2021/2022.

Thank you again from all the team at Nursing Personnel. We acknowledge the compassion, professionalism and round the clock commitment of our nurses caring for patients.

Enjoy National Nurses Day today.

Old IR35 Rules PRE 06/04/2017

The actual IR35 rules came into force in April 2000. The rule was the agency worker must decide if their status fell inside IR35 (where tax an NI has to be deducted at source) or outside IR35 where payments can be made without tax and NI deducted to a contractors Limited Company.

IR35 Rules April 2017

In April 2017 the rules changed. HMRC decided if a contractor works in the Public Sector (NHS) the public sector body (NHS) made the decision whether the contractor was inside IR35 or outside IR35 (the contractor could be paid through their Ltd company). In most cases all NHS Trusts decided that agency workers could not be paid via their limited company without the deduction of tax and NI being deducted at source.

The new rules from April 2021

From the 6^th of April 2021 the IR35 rules that were introduced in April 2017 are now being extended to the Private Sector. This means any large or medium sized company where an agency worker is being paid through their limited company will no longer be able to make the decision whether they fall inside or outside IR35. From April 2021 the end client will make the decision.

The old rules are also being updated. The end client in private or public sector from April 2021 where a worker is paid via a limited company MUST issue a SDS (Status Determination Statement). The SDS must be issued to the agency worker with the clients status decision whether the worker falls inside IR35 (cannot be paid via LTD) or falls outside IR35 (the worker can be paid via LTD). The SDS must also be passed to the agency worker, the agency and any party in the contractual chain. This will include umbrella companies.

If the SDS is passed to the umbrella company with an inside IR35 SDS the umbrella company must deduct the tax and NI. If the umbrella company does not deduct the tax and NI after the SDS being passed to them then the umbrella company will be liable for the tax and NI that is not deducted.

Once the agency receives the SDS the agency has a responsibility to pass the SDS to the party paying the worker that being the umbrella company. The rule is “The SDS must be passed down the contractual chain to all parties involved in paying the worker”. Which ever party does not pass the SDS down the contractual chain where they should have, they will be responsible for the tax liability.

Most NHS Trusts will be making an Inside IR35 SDS for agency nursing staff. This will mean most agency workers will have to paid on a straight PAYE system or Umbrella and cannot be paid via their limited company. If an agency worker wants to disagree with an inside IR35 SDS they can dispute it with the end client (NHS Trust) and the Trust has 45 days to respond.

What is Nursing Personnel Doing?

Nursing Personnel are working with our clients to try and negotiate the best possible pay rates. If you are working via a PSC this will have an impact on your net take home pay. Please feel free to contact Nursing Personnel and we will offer you the best possible rate.

We are working with the REC and professional bodies to ensure agency workers concerns are highlighted.

These new rules will affect all agency contractors working the in private and public sector. If you are being paid via a PSC or personal services company we advise you speak to your accountant or professional advisor before the 6^th of April 2021.

For candidates that have been working via their limited company Nursing Personnel are working with a number of compliant umbrellas to negotiate the best terms possible.

Nursing Union Setting Up £35 M Fund for Strike Action

The RCN is setting up a £35 million industrial action fund as a result of the government’s proposal of a 1% pay rise for nurses following one of the most difficult and challenging years on record for the nursing profession. The government is facing a furious back lash following the 1% proposed pay rise.

Colenzo Jarrett Thorpe the unions national officer has stated “ Unite would look at all possible options including industrial action” he added “ The time for clapping has stopped, now is the time to pay up”

Some ministers have defended the proposal saying 1% was the most the UK could afford at a time when public spending is at a record high. Labour leader Kier Starmer asked the government to consider a fair pay increase considering Covid 19 and the NHS heroes.  Dame Donna Kinnair told ITV “It does feel like a slap round the face really because actually it feel like we’re very, very low on the government’s priority.” She said the 1% pay increase is “pitiful” and said she was “bitterly disappointed” by the news.

A Government spokesman said ministers would “carefully” consider the recommendations of the pay review bodies when they report in late spring.

“Over one million NHS staff continue to benefit from multi-year pay deals agreed with trade unions, which have delivered a pay rise of over 12% for newly-qualified nurses and will increase junior doctors’ pay scales by 8.2%,” the spokesman said.

“Pay rises in the rest of the public sector will be paused this year due to the challenging economic environment, but we will continue to provide pay rises for NHS workers, on top of a £513 million investment in professional development and increased recruitment.”

Nursing Personnel would like to add our support for all nurses and encourage the government to award a substantial pay rise for nurses who have been the through hero’s in 2020 and 2021.

Nursing Personnel are delighted to announce that we have been approved on the new 2021 Nursing Health Trust Europe NHS Framework Agreement, The Welsh Nursing Framework Agreement and the London Procurement Partnership and Crown Commercial Services nursing Framework Agreements. All three nursing Framework Agreements go live in early 2021 and Nursing personnel are looking forward to working for the next 3 years with our partners.

The new Framework allows Nursing Personnel to continue our partnership with our existing NHS clients and also allows us to continue to forge new relationships and partnerships with NHS Trust looking to seek new suppliers of agency staff. Nursing Personnel have been supplying the NHS for the past 20 year and this new framework allows us to continue to be a preferred supplier.

The past 12 months has been an extraordinary and challenging time for all working in the healthcare sector. With the role out of the vaccination program there is light at the end of the tunnel and over the coming months the NHS will be starting to resume business as usual, however living and working in a world with Covid-19.

This will bring new challenges but also new opportunities for nursing agencies like Nursing Personnel who have worked hand in hand with healthcare workers and the NHS through this one in a life time experience.

If you are a healthcare worker or nurse looking for a change, full or part time work please feel free to contact us through our website and we will do our very best to find you the right role that works around your requirements. Feel free to register here.

2020 has been a very challenging year for all involved in the healthcare sector and one we shall not forget. The true heroes of 2020 are all the front line staff that in many cases have put their lives on the line to help and save others. Also not forgetting all the support staff that work in the background without their help others could not do what they do best.

The management and all the team at Nursing Personnel would like to thank all our healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the year in exceptional circumstances. In these difficult times we would like to wish all our healthcare staff and those who will be fighting to save lives over the Christmas period and new year holidays a Happy Christmas and a brighter and healthy 2021.

From all the team at Nursing Personnel.

As part of Nursing Personnel’s winter recruitment campaign we now have a new refer a friend bonus scheme.  Any referred agency worker that works with Nursing Personnel and completes 40 hours of work with the agency the individual referring the worker will receive a £200 bonus.

Terms:

The worker must register on Nursing Personnel’s web site.

The referred worker must state the name of the person they got referred from in their online application.

Referral Scheme ends on the 31/03/2021

There is no limit to the number of workers you can refer.

Agency Nurses Pay & IR35 in the Private Sector

Last week HMRC announced its plans to push ahead and roll out the IR35 off payroll rules into the private sector from April 2020. These rules came into the public sector in April 2017 and have had a huge impact on agency nurses pay and agency healthcare professionals pay.

IR35 Rules

Pre April 2017 contractors working through their personal service companies could decide if the IR35 rules applied to them and make their own IR35 status decision. Post April 2017 the new rules moved the IR35 decision away from the contractor to the PSB ( Public Sector Body). This for most agency nurses and healthcare workers means the NHS decides if a healthcare worker falls inside IR35 meaning tax and national insurance must be deducted at source when the agency worker is paid. This in turn has had a huge impact on agency nurses pay in the public sector.

To aid the IR35 decision making process HMRC released an online tool called CEST ( check employment status tool). There has been wide spread criticism of this tool as it does not take into account all relevant scenarios, is far to simplistic or align with current tax case law. The tool in many cases is unable to make an IR35 status decision.

As a result of CEST not being fit for purposes many agency workers have been forced onto payroll and deemed inside IR35 when in fact they could be genuinely be self employed and fall outside IR35.

So how do the proposed April 2020 rules effect agency nurses pay and healthcare workers pay in the private sector?

If the IR35 rules are rolled out as planned into the private sector any agency nurse or healthcare worker working for a private company ( medium or large in size ) through their PSC ( personal service company) will have their tax status decided by the end client. The contractor or agency nurse will no longer be able to make their own IR35 status decision. This will mirror what is now happening in the public sector since April 2017.

Will the agency worker working in the private sector be able to challenge the end clients decision?

This is currently one of the major issues with the public sector and with the proposed new rules. Under the proposed plan the contractor will have to receive an IR35 status decision and the reasoning behind the decision. The contractor may challenge the decision and the end client will have 45 days to reply. The issues is there is no appeal process if the contractor is still not satisfied with the end result or they feel the incorrect IR35 tax status has been determined. There is also a worry that end clients in order to avoid any potential tax risk or tax exposure they will blanket contractors inside IR35 forcing them into an employment status without any employment rights. Nursing Personnel has seen this happen in the public sector.

If you are working for a private medium or large company as an agency nurse or agency healthcare worker and being paid through your PSC this proposed new legislation could have a high impact on your business and earnings. You would be advised to take professional advice from your account or tax adviser. If the proposed legislation is passed the new rules will have a big impact on your earnings and the way you are currently being paid.

For more information on the new rules visit the government website by clicking here.

Registered nurses are an integral part of the UK healthcare system providing critical support to patients in times of need. They are highly skilled, compassionate, and dedicated professionals coming from diverse backgrounds.

The job of an agency nurse is highly rewarding with each working day bringing its own set of challenges. Overcoming these gives you a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment as you go about positively impacting human lives. Some interesting facts about nurses registered in the UK are listed here:

Demand More Than Supply

Out of the practising nurses registered, some work in the NHS while others work in the private sector. However, many nurses opt for flexible hours to work around personal commitments. The nursing workforce comprises of those from the European Union and other countries as well with the latter outnumbering the former.

With an increase in the number of vacancies for qualified nurses and fewer posts being filled, there exists a huge shortfall. To really address this large shortfall more nurses need to be trained in the UK, and more nurses need to be applying for nursing college places.

Inherent Soft Skills an Asset

In addition to having a caring nature and advanced communication skills, a UK agency nurse also has to be a good listener. They will realise that every interaction with the patient and their loved ones must be delicately handled. These soft skills will invariably leave a lasting impact and are the differentiating factor between recovery and further deterioration in the patient’s health.

Revalidation is Mandatory

Every three years nursing registration comes up for revalidation. To retain it, nurses must have at least 450 practice hours to their credit within a three-year period. It includes practical nursing experience and active learning hours spent in improving one’s skills. In addition, feedback from practice, patients and colleagues is considered.

A nurse must give a personal synopsis of how certain situations they have encountered in their professional journey, and this has to be discussed with their accessor. A declaration stating your fitness to practice and acknowledging of your indemnity insurance cover must be signed off by a senior colleague. Once your dossier is submitted for revalidation, it may subsequently be audited.

Job Opportunities are Plenty

The traditional concept of registered nurses only working for the NHS no longer exists. With additional training there are many other avenues open to nurses. Nurses can explore careers in the military, the prison service, private practice, cosmetic clinics, private healthcare organisations and even working in an office environment as a nurse assessor or even with a drug company. Your nursing skills can be utilised in many sectors.

With the development of technology and globalisation the opportunities for qualified nurses are endless. However keeping your skills constantly updated and keeping in touch with technologies will always improve your chances for advancement.

Nursing Personnel have developed an amazing app, it’s FREE to DOWNLOAD and available on both Android and iOS. MPP App allows staff registered with Nursing Personnel to manage both their working diary and track any compliance issues in one easy and convenient place.

New users can effortlessly register and book an interview with Nursing Personnel. Once they have become compliant, they will have full access to all benefits of MPP App.

Full App Benefits:

• Seamlessly book shifts and update your availability directly on the app
• View all live shifts and check shift availability in advance. Become your own boss and book shifts when it suits you
• Keep track of your compliance and renewal dates
• Receive push notifications on available shifts
• Check the status of your Timesheets
• Keep up to date with Nursing Personnel News

Take control and be the master of your own work with the ease of MPP App

Note: MPP APP has been developed for healthcare professionals that are registered with Nursing Personnel. If you would like to register, please visit the following website: https://www.nursing-personnel.com/

Download our FREE smartphone app on Android / iOS (iPhone)
Android App

iOS (iPhone) App

Book shifts conveniently from your mobile phone with our FREE Android and iOS (iPhone) app.

Our app can also help set booking availability and inform you of any outstanding compliances you might have.

For new users, it can help you with the registration process and booking interviews.

Our app is FREE and simple to use.