Nursing FAQs

On average, the registration process can take four weeks. However, we will do everything possible to work around your timescales, meaning your registration may be completed in a shorter period.

Once the registration process is complete, your recruitment consultant can begin offering you work.

To complete your registration as an agency nurse, we require the following documents:

• Proof of Identification e.g. Passport or EU ID Card
• UK Visa (For Non-EU Members)
• A minimum of two clinical references (covering the previous three years)
• Immunisation Records Status & Proof of Immunity for:
  • Hepatitis B (& Titre Level)
  • Measles (or MMR) Immunity
  • Rubella
  • Varicella
  • Tuberculosis
  • Hepatitis B SAG (EPP Only)
  • Hepatitis C (EPP Only)
  • HIV Test (EPP Only)
  • Health Certificate of Fitness
• Two Signed Colour Passport Photos
• Two proofs of address
• DBS & Police Check (Fully enhanced covering both adult and child workforce)
• Certificates of Qualifications i.e. Basic Qualifications and Higher Qualifications
• Basic Life Support Certificate & Manual Handling (practical) (yearly updates)
• CV
• Mandatory Training Certificates which include the following*:
  • Caldicott Protocols/Information Governance
  • Complaints Handling
  • COSHH and RIDDOR THE
  • Food Hygiene
  • Infection prevention and control, including MRSA and Clostridium Difficile Level 2
  • Lone Worker
  • Manual Handling/Moving and Handling Level 2
  • Mental Captivity Act (for those working in mental health)
  • MAPA (mental health nurses only)/MVA
  • Counter Fraud
  • Fire Safety
  • Conflict Resolution or Handling of Violence and Aggression
  • Equality and Diversity
  • Health, Safety and Welfare
  • Preventing Radicalisation Level 3
  • Safeguarding Adults Level 3
  • Safeguarding Children Level 3

Yes. Once your application has been accepted, we will book you on to one of our mandatory training courses. These courses are free of charge.

If you have previously worked with Medacs Healthcare, you do not need to submit all of your original documentation again, only those that have expired.

No, not if your certificate is registered with the update service. If you are not on the update service, our specialist team are happy to support with additional information. 

If required, the cost of a DBS is £44.

No, online bank statements cannot be used to support your DBS application.

A photo card driver’s license can only be used as part of your DBS application if it holds your current address. If it does not hold your current address, the document cannot be used.

There are many other addressed documents that we can accept. These include:

• Photo driving license
• Store card statements
• Council tax statement

You can obtain a copy of your DBS Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service within 28 days of the issue date. However, after this time a copy will no longer be available.

Due to DBS guidelines, Medacs Healthcare is unable to provide you with a copy.

The process starts with you registering your interest as an agency worker either by applying for a job submitting your details via our contact form.

Once we receive your application, we will check we have jobs that meet your needs, skills, experience, availability and rate requirements. If we do, you will be invited to complete the full registration pack and supply us with documents to prove such things as your identity, professional body (if applicable) and relevant qualifications.

You will also receive a face-to-face interview with one of our team and a clinical discussion around your skill base, before undergoing compliance checks and completing any mandatory training you require.

Once you have completed the registration process and any mandatory training, you will be allocated a dedicated recruitment consultant who will be responsible for finding you the types of roles you have specified.

Having one main point of contact within a recruitment agency allows you to build up a working relationship. This means your recruitment consultant will become familiar with your work preferences, pay methods, when you like to be contacted and how far you are willing to travel for work.

No, registering with Medacs Healthcare is completely free.

The type of work we can offer you depends on your previous experience. You will need some understanding and experience of working with the client groups with which we place you. However, we may be able to offer you work that extends your knowledge and specialisms.

Yes. Even if you have limited availability, we can help you find work to fit around your other commitments.

One of the advantages of working as an agency nurse is that you can take control of your career, and that includes deciding how many hours you work.

On average, a full-time position will require you to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week. However, if you prefer working ad hoc days, evenings and/or weekends, we have a variety of shifts to suit you too.  

Yes. However, we politely request that you commit to the first job that comes back as the client will have spent time reviewing each candidate for the role.

Please note, you can withdraw your interest at any time before a booking is made.

While we do ask for your full commitment with each booking, we understand that certain circumstances are out of your control. If you need to cancel a booking, we request that you contact your placement officer as soon as possible and explain your reasons for cancelling.

Should a client cancel your booking, we will call you and explain the reason for the cancellation. We will then help you find alternate work if required.

Medacs Healthcare has a policy of not supplying nurses to hospitals that regularly cancel bookings and each cancellation incident is thoroughly investigated.

All agency workers working in Exposure Prone Procedures (EPPs) are required by NHS Framework to provide an HIV test result.

Please contact your recruitment consultant/registration officer for information on organisations able to facilitate tests required for registration.

Due to NHS Framework requirements, only designated signatories are authorised to verify your scar.

Guidelines are slightly different for agency nurses and nurses who work in the NHS on a full-time basis. Due to the nature of locum work (i.e. working at numerous trusts), agency nurses run a higher risk of infection and, therefore, must be immunised.

• PAYE (Pay As You Earn) - PAYE method is accepted by Medacs Healthcare and all trusts and health boards
• Umbrella - Certain umbrella companies (subject to meeting our audit criteria) are accepted as a payment option by Medacs Healthcare, however, not all trusts and health boards accept this employment status 
• Limited company - Personal Service companies are accepted as a payment method by Medacs Healthcare, however, not all trusts and health boards accept this employment status
  
   

When you get paid depends on a number of factors. These include where in the UK you worked, the payment option you’ve chosen (PAYE, umbrella or PSC), whether you have submitted a correctly completed timesheet and whether you prefer to receive your payslips electronically or in paper format. For further information on payment via PAYE, please see below.

PAYE

For nurses working in England and Wales

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Get paid next working day – based on receiving an electronic payslip or get paid in an average of three working days via BACS if paper payslips are preferred
• Payslip - Access your electronic payslip (and other payment documents) by logging in to your secure candidate portal

For nurses working in Scotland

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Get paid within three working days via BACS
• Payslip - Access your electronic payslip (and other payment documents) by logging in to your secure candidate portal

When you get paid depends on a number of factors. These include where in the UK you worked, the payment option you’ve chosen (PAYE, umbrella or PSC), whether you have submitted a correctly completed timesheet and whether you prefer to receive your payslips electronically or in paper format. For further information on payment via an Umbrella company, please see below.

Umbrella Company 

For nurses working in England and Wales

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Payment will be made to your Umbrella company the next working day
• Payslip - Your Umbrella company should issue you with a payslip

For nurses working in Scotland

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Payment will be made to your Umbrella company within three working days
• Payslip - Your Umbrella company should issue you with a payslip

When you get paid depends on a number of factors. These include where in the UK you worked, the payment option you’ve chosen (PAYE, umbrella or PSC), whether you have submitted a correctly completed timesheet and whether you prefer to receive your payslips electronically or in paper format. For further information on payment via a limited company, please see below.

Limited Company

For nurses working in England and Wales

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Get paid next working day – based on agreeing to self-billing, submitting a valid VAT invoice or receiving an electronic payslip, or get paid in an average of three working days via BACS if paper payslips are preferred
• Payslip - Access your electronic payslip (and other payment documents) by logging in to your secure candidate portal

For nurses working in Scotland

• Timesheet - Submit your timesheet by 3pm via email to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com
• Receipt - You will receive an email receipt confirming your submission
• Payment - Get paid within three working days via BACS based on agreeing to self-billing or submitting a valid VAT invoice
• Payslip - Access your electronic payslip (and other payment documents) by logging in to your secure candidate portal

Occasionally, you may notice that your pay doesn’t match up to the number of hours that you have worked. This is often the result of mandatory breaks being deducted from your hours as per the trust’s breaks policy, the details of which will be detailed on your confirmation letter. Please speak to your consultant by calling 0800 442 207 should you wish to discuss the policies.

The most common reason why our agency nurses do not receive their payment on time is down to submitting an incorrect or incomplete timesheet. Specifically, when the signature on the timesheet is not from an authorised signatory or the position of that person is not stated clearly on the timesheet.

Another timesheet related reason is when the timesheet received is of poor visual quality. To avoid future image quality issues, we recommend downloading a scanning app on your smartphone, like Adobe Mobile Scan, then:

1. Place your completed timesheet on a well-lit, flat surface
2. Open the app and select the camera
3. Position the camera directly above the timesheet (birds-eye view), choose black and white and take a picture of it ensuring the timesheet fills the screen
4. If necessary, crop the picture as close to the timesheet as possible
5. Email the picture to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com

Other reasons for payment delays include:

Submitting limited company details

If you are working through your own limited company, it is vital that you provide us with the necessary company documents. Once received, we will issue you with a contract to sign and return.

Setting up with an umbrella company

If you are working through an umbrella company then you will need to provide us with a copy of your employment contract

Umbrella Processes

All umbrellas will also have their own controls and checks in place before they are able to make a payment to you. When working through an umbrella, we would recommend you fully understand their payroll process so you know when payment can be expected. We would suggest that you contact them in the first instance to find out if there are any specific issues that need to be resolved

Banking arrangements

As your earnings are paid directly into your bank account, it is essential that your bank details are correct and kept up to date

If you are experiencing a pay delay, you need to contact your consultant in the first instance via email or call 0800 442 207 during office hours. If your consultant is unavailable, ask to speak to their team leader.

If possible, go back to the department for authorisation to be granted, otherwise email your timesheet to your consultant who may be able to assist.

If you have attached a copy of your timesheet to an email and sent it to nursingtimesheets@medacs.com, you will receive a return email notifying you of receipt

If you haven’t worked with Medacs Healthcare in the last 12 weeks, a P45 will be issued to you and your payroll record will be closed from the date on which you were last paid. This allows us to maintain up to date records with HMRC.

You will also receive a P45 if you notify your placement officer that you wish to stop working with us.

Should you wish to continue working with Medacs Healthcare, simply contact your recruitment consultant. You will also need to return your P45 to our Finance Compliance team via email.

Payslips, P60 documents and all information relating to payments are held digitally and can be found by logging in to your secure candidate portal on our website.

Should you require a copy of your P60 for a previous tax year, please contact the Finance Payroll Team stating the tax year for which the duplicate P60 is required and include your date of birth or National Insurance number on the email, which is required for verification and audit purposes. 

Should you require a copy of your P45, please contact the Finance Payroll Team stating the tax year for which the information is required and include your date of birth or National Insurance number on the email, which is required for verification and audit purposes. We are unable to provide a duplicate P45 in-line with HMRC guidance, but we can provide a statement of earnings.

Should you wish to be paid via your Limited company (also known as a PSC), please contact the Finance Compliance Team via email or call +44 (0) 1756 702 226 or 0845 340 876 and select Option 1.

You will then be asked to provide details of your Limited company. Once all your documents have been received and checked you will then be provided with a contract to sign and return which includes a self-bill agreement.

If you work through your own limited company, claiming holiday pay may not be tax-efficient, especially if you are the sole employee. Directors are under no obligation to pay themselves holiday pay.

However, if more than one person operates through the limited company, the same statutory rights granted to directly hired workers would apply to those in non-director roles. These include 5.6 weeks of holiday and holiday pay.

When you want to book time off work, you must give your recruitment consultant the minimum notice as set out in your Terms of Engagement, but ideally, you will pass on the dates as soon as possible. Holiday pay entitlement may be claimed by PAYE workers only.

All requests should be made in writing to your consultant or via email, copying in your consultant. You can also email this address to find out how much holiday pay you have outstanding. For verification and auditing purposes, please include either your date of birth or National Insurance number on your request.

Once we receive your holiday pay request, your claim will be processed accordingly.

Your holiday hours are calculated at a rate of 12.07% of the total hours you have worked. The holiday pay rate is based on an average of your pay rates from the previous 12 weeks. Your holiday year start date will be the date of your first paid shift.

So, for example, if you work a 12-hour shift one week, six the next and then 12 again the following two weeks, you will have built up an entitlement to approximately five hours of paid leave (42 x 12.07%).

All holiday pay must be claimed within one year and cannot be carried over to the following year. There is a three-month discretionary period to claim holiday pay after leaving.

Medacs Healthcare does not practice ‘rolled-up’ holiday pay as it is actually illegal. All Medacs Healthcare agency workers are encouraged to claim any holiday pay they are entitled to on an ongoing basis.

If you work through an umbrella company, holiday pay for agency workers is mandatory. This is because you are an employee of the umbrella company, therefore, you are entitled to the same statutory rights as any other employed worker, meaning that you should receive 5.6 weeks of paid holiday every year.

Selecting an umbrella company that is best suited to your needs, can be challenging. As a proud and recognised leader in compliance, Medacs Healthcare undertakes regular audits of all contracted umbrella companies. Should an umbrella company fail to meet our strict audit criteria, they will be placed on our ‘risk register’ and an exit strategy will be agreed, in line with our umbrella policy.

This continual process of constantly reviewing and auditing umbrella companies means our list of approved contractors/firms is subject to change. So, while Medacs Healthcare gladly offers our agency nurses the option to work through an umbrella company (as well as to stay as PAYE with us or to be paid via a PSC), we are unfortunately unable to recommend which umbrella company you should use.

Therefore, we strongly encourage you to perform thorough research and checks on any potential umbrella company. Once you have selected the umbrella you would like to work through, please contact our Finance Compliance Team via email paytypechange@medacsglobalgroup.com or telephone 01756 702 226 (select ‘Option 1’).
If your umbrella isn’t already approved to work with us, they will need to pass our audit criteria and sign our Umbrella contract. We will then need to see a copy of your employment contract with the umbrella.

Unfortunately, we are unable to recommend any umbrella company to you. Our Finance Compliance Team undertakes regular audits of all umbrella companies that we work with. Should an umbrella contractor fail to meet our audit criteria, then they will be placed on our risk register and an exit strategy will be agreed in-line with our umbrella policy. Because umbrella companies are constantly being reviewed and audited, this means that the list is subject to change.

This, together with the changes in legislation and policy updates, could mean that we would place our candidates and our reputation at risk if we were to recommend and endorse a particular umbrella company.

Therefore, we suggest that you review the HMRC guidelines and seek independent advice when making your own enquiries with umbrella companies. Once you have done your own due diligence, please contact our Finance Compliance Team either by email or telephone 01756 702 226 - option 1.

If you have concerns over your existing umbrella or one under which you have previously operated, we strongly urge you to contact HMRC for further guidance.

A Key Information Document is a two-page document which provides you with details of how any deductions and fees may affect your pay.

This document is designed to help you understand what deductions will be made from your pay, helping you to decide which payment method suits your personal circumstances.

Medacs Healthcare will send you a KID when you first register. Should you ever want to change your method of payment, you will receive a KID relevant to your new payment method.

• Basic information about your contract, example pay rates and pay arrangement
• All statutory and non-statutory (umbrella margin/fee) deductions to be made to your pay
• Any holiday entitlement and other non-monetary benefits you can expect to receive
• An example statement to demonstrate the deductions that will be made and how these may affect your take home pay - figures will be estimated and will not reflect the specific rate of pay that you will receive

The KID does not need to show the exact pay rate that you will receive. It will show an example pay rate. As an agency nurse, Medacs Healthcare has set this example pay rate as £15 per hour. This rate has been chosen to enable Medacs Healthcare to provide you with a working example of how any potential deductions and fees may affect the pay you receive.

It is important to remember that this is an example rate and will not be the rate you will be paid.

Yes, the KID will show the fee that the umbrella will charge.

When your payment method is changed on our system, you will receive a KID relevant to your new method of payment. If you have chosen to work through a specific umbrella, you will receive a KID specific to that umbrella.

We've put together a comprehensive guide to help you, the busy agency nurse, better understand everything that may be puzzling you around pay rates and payment options. 

Read Medacs Agency Nursing Pay Rates and Payment Guide here.

Submitting your timesheet is a quick and simple process. Follow the steps below to submit your timesheet via mobile or tablet device.

Step 1 - Download an app

In order to scan your timesheet, you will need to download an app to your smartphone or tablet. We recommend using Adobe Scan, but the app you choose is entirely up to you. 

Step 2 - Taking a picture of your timesheet

Ensure you position your timesheet on a flat surface in a well-lit area. Remove any folds or creases in the timesheet. Take the picture from directly above, capturing as little background as possible whilst not creating shadows over the image, as this will make the document clearer and the scan of higher quality.

Once you have taken the picture it will appear on your screen. Please ensure it is visibly a black and white document as this will vastly reduce the likelihood of the timesheet being rejected due to poor image quality.

Step 3 - Cropping your image

Please make sure that the scan only has the timesheet in it. Crop as closely to the timesheet as possible. We can only accept black and white scanned images in PDF format. Photos and JPEG images cannot be accepted.

Step 4 - Submitting your timesheet

Perform a final check of your scanned or app-captured image/s of your timesheets to ensure these are clear and visible; submitting timesheets that are of poor image quality is one of the top reasons for delayed payments. Once you are satisfied that your timesheet looks clear, email it to the Finance Candidate Care Team.

If you are working on a variety of wards in the same hospital, ensure you complete one timesheet per ward. 

If you are working an early and a late shift the same day on different wards these must be claimed on two separate timesheets. However, if you are working an early and a late shift the same day and on the same ward, these must be claimed and approved on two separate lines of the same timesheet, clearly stating the same date for each shift

If you complete multiple shifts in the same place and claim all on one timesheet, the signature at the bottom must be provided by the person who signed off your last shift and dated accordingly on the last day worked. What information is required on my timesheet?

Your consultant can email you timesheets for you to print out as and when needed. You can also download timesheets below.

Medacs Healthcare Nursing Timesheet

To ensure you receive prompt and accurate payment, please follow these key steps when filling out your timesheet:

• Step 1 - Clearly write your full name as it appears on your passport; do not use shortened names or nicknames.
• Step 2 - Clearly write the full name of the hospital and ward or department.
• Step 3 - Enter the date of your shift and the 'start' and 'finish' times in the 24-hour clock format (e.g. 7.30pm should appear as 19:30). Amendments made to your timesheet after you have stated your start time, end time or break durations must be countersigned by the approving member of staff.
• Step 4 - Always fill in if you're taken any breaks. If no break was taken, please ask the client to initial this box. 
• Step 5 - Write the total hours you've worked in the shift.
• Step 6 - The client must print and sign their name, and confirm their position against each shift; this client approver should be a more senior nurse on duty
• Step 7 - At least once a month, ask the client to evaluate your shift.
• Step 8 - The bottom signature on the left-hand side of the timesheet must be signed and dated after the final shift has been completed. You cannot be paid unless this is done. If you have worked a nightshift, this should be dated to coincide with the date the end of your shift.
• Step 9 - Remember to sign and date the timesheet yourself.

Timesheets for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Please note that timesheets must be signed by either a Nurse in Charge or Ward Manager. If neither is available, it can be signed by any other senior nurse on the ward, as long as it is counter-signed by a Matron or Bleep holder. 

Completing your agency nursing timesheet correctly the first time around will reduce any delays with payment. Check out our video guide on how to complete and submit your timesheet correctly.