This follows the award of a Master Vendor contract to HCRG, which includes recruitment brands HCL, Sugarman and Team24. 

Under the new agreement, HCRG will provide nursing and doctors to the trusts where needed to add additional capacity or provide cover for sickness and recruitment gaps, a company statement said. 

According to HCRG, the contract will reduce administration, time to hire and provide detailed reporting to the trusts, allowing them to manage service, rotas and budgets more effectively. 

The agreement replaces a range of agreements the Trusts had with various suppliers, simplifying the processes for managers and clinicians alike. HCRG expects to provide around 2m hours of staffing to the trusts per year over the next three years. Under the agreement, HCRG will provide the staff at or under the rates set by NHS England, ensuring good value for money.

Through its HCL Permanent division, HCRG has also supported London NHS trusts with ethical international nurse recruitment, filling posts permanently and reducing reliance on agency staffing. HCL Permanent have placed more than 1,000 nurses into these trusts, with a recent international trip, for Capital Nurse, generating over 100 nurses.

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