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Health and social care agencies can supply a wide range of roles including care assistants, senior carers, registered nurses, support workers, social workers and specialist staff. This guide explains the main roles available through care agencies and what they involve.
Health and social care agencies can supply a wide range of roles spanning the full breadth of the care workforce. The range of roles available through any specific agency depends on the breadth of its worker pool and the markets it serves. Some agencies specialise in specific role types such as nursing or social work; others offer a broad range across all care workforce levels. Understanding what roles a specific agency can supply helps providers assess whether that agency can meet their specific workforce needs.
SENDhelp supplies experienced, vetted care staff to health and social care providers across the UK. Whether you need registered nurses, support workers or specialist care staff, we can help you fill vacancies quickly and compliantly.
Care assistants and support workers are the most commonly supplied role category in health and social care agencies. They provide personal care, support with daily living activities, social engagement and a wide range of non-clinical support tasks in residential, nursing home, domiciliary and community care settings. The minimum requirements for care assistant roles typically include completion of the Care Certificate or equivalent, valid enhanced DBS, relevant care experience and a commitment to person-centred care values.
Senior care workers and shift leaders support junior care staff, take responsibility for shift management and contribute to care planning and quality monitoring. They are typically required to hold a Level 3 care diploma or equivalent and to have significant care experience. Agency senior care workers can be particularly valuable for covering sickness or vacancy at a level where good judgement and leadership skills are important for maintaining the quality of care during the placement.
Registered nurses supplied by care agencies must hold current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Agencies supplying nurses have specific obligations around verifying NMC registration and ensuring that nurses’ Pin is current and unrestricted. Registered nurses from agencies may work in nursing homes, NHS trusts, mental health services, community health settings or specialist care environments. Some agencies specialise in providing nurses with specific clinical specialisms including intensive care, paediatrics, theatre or mental health nursing.
Qualified social workers supplied by agencies must hold current registration with Social Work England. They may work in adult social care, children’s services, mental health or other social work settings depending on their qualification and experience. Agency social workers are commonly used to cover vacancies, maternity leave and increased caseload during periods of high demand. Some areas have significant reliance on agency social workers, which can create consistency and continuity challenges.
Care agencies can supply a range of Allied Health Professionals including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and dietitians to health and social care settings. These roles carry registration requirements with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Specialist care workers with experience in dementia care, autism support, complex physical health needs, end of life care or other specialisms are also available through some agencies. Providers should ask agencies specifically about their ability to supply specialist roles relevant to their client group.
Agencies that supply domiciliary care workers, who deliver care in people’s own homes, must meet additional regulatory requirements related to the management of workers who work independently without direct supervision. Domiciliary care agencies may require CQC registration as a provider of domiciliary care in addition to operating as an employment business. Providers commissioning domiciliary care through agencies should verify the agency’s CQC registration status and inspect their arrangements for supervising and monitoring home care staff.
For related information see our articles on Agencies in Health and Social Care Explained and How Care Agencies Recruit and Vet Staff.
Health and social care agencies can supply a wide range of roles including care assistants and support workers, senior care workers, registered nurses (NMC registered), social workers (Social Work England registered), Allied Health Professionals (HCPC registered) and specialist care workers with specific clinical or care specialisms. The roles available depend on the specific agency and the breadth of its worker pool.
Yes. Any nurse supplied by a care agency must hold current, unrestricted registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Agencies supplying nurses are responsible for verifying NMC registration before placement and for ensuring that the nurse’s Pin is current. Providers should independently verify NMC registration for any agency nurse before they begin working.
Yes, though the availability of specialist workers varies between agencies and geographic areas. Some agencies specialise in specific specialisms including dementia care, learning disability support, autism support, mental health or complex physical health needs. Providers requiring specialist agency workers should ask agencies specifically about their capability to supply workers with relevant experience and qualifications for their specific client group.
Visit our Health and Social Care Agency Resource Hub for more guides on staffing, compliance, CQC standards, agency costs and how to choose the right care agency for your organisation.
The information in this article is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory or professional advice. Regulations, rates and compliance requirements change: always verify current requirements with the relevant regulatory body. SENDhelp Education Limited accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content. Any links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only and do not constitute endorsement of their content.
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