Continuing Healthcare contract market - 2023 review and 2024 outlook

As we near the end of 2023, here’s our summary of what’s been happening in continuing healthcare (CHC) staffing this year, and how the market is looking for 2024.

It’s all about budgets…

Many departments in the NHS are struggling to recruit enough permanent staff and this includes healthcare assessors within the care sector. Many CHC departments are reliant on interim contract staff to plug gaps and ensure care needs are met.

The Department of Health is trying to control the amount spent on contractors by focusing budgets on permanent recruitment. Interim and contract hiring has slowed down considerably in 2023 as a result.

…and backlogs.

The lack of staff in various sectors is leading to difficulties getting work completed – including within CHC, where permanent healthcare assessors are having to manage a steadily increasing workload. NHS ICBs are finding it challenging to get through the number of assessments in time and backlogs are developing.

It’s in the interests of all parties – the patient, their family, the care providers – for assessments to be completed quickly so that a patient’s individual needs can be met. Delays add an element of risk alongside stress and uncertainty. And, without an assessment, funds often can’t be released for care provision, which is specific to each patient.  

The new financial year

Deploying contract staff is a tried and tested way of quickly reducing backlogs to enable assessments to be completed efficiently. CHC Leads who have budget are continuing to use contract staff effectively to target specific issues.

Once NHS budgets are released in April for the next financial year, this option will be used more widely. The pace of contract hiring will increase to target backlogs, bring workloads down to a manageable level and reduce future reliance on contractors. Experienced healthcare assessors will be in demand across the country, particularly in areas outside the larger cities.

Outlook for 2024

In the current economic climate and with an election looming, it’s unlikely that the government will allocate big increases in NHS spending in 2024 to attract and retain more permanent healthcare assessors.

CHC departments will therefore continue to need contractors to boost capacity and tackle backlogs within CHC for the foreseeable future. Demand for good, experienced contract staff will be high, meaning CHC departments will be competing for talent.

And we can help.

Experienced contractors, ready to go

As the process is largely one that can be done remotely, this year, we have been able to place healthcare assessors located in areas with low demand, such as London, into ICBs with a higher need elsewhere in the UK.

Read our case study about the work we did for a Head of Continuing Healthcare here.

Our CHC team is continually building a network of good, reliable people with the skills, experience and motivation to move into roles quickly when required. Because we are a CCS provider, our network is fully compliant and most have completed many similar projects within the NHS previously. 

Alongside our network of healthcare assessors, good recruitment process management, knowledge of CCS and NHS procedures, fast onboarding, seamless compliance, after-care and on-call support are integral parts of our service. 

If you would like to register as a CHC healthcare assessor with us or would like to talk about your future hiring needs, talk to Simon.