de Poel – the global workforce solutions specialist – has launched a standalone division that will focus exclusively on the NHS and private health and care sectors.
de Poel Clarity will manage the relationships between Trusts and a select panel of recruitment agencies, by introducing clear, effective and cost-saving solutions. It has been formed on the back of significant success handling the provision of non-permanent staff in the private health and care markets.
The division, which as a neutral vendor has no affiliation to any agency, will be headed up by highly-regarded industry specialist, Andrew Preston. Andrew, who has been appointed as Managing Director of de Poel Clarity, has extensive experience in the NHS, private health and care sectors, with more than 18 years experience.
With a proven track record for successfully growing and developing a wide variety of healthcare businesses – including working for FTSE 100, plc, private equity-backed and private organisations, as well as the NHS. Andrew will be responsible for the roll-out of de Poel services and cutting-edge technology across the NHS. This will be achieved through an ambitious acquisition strategy, targeting complementary non-agency businesses and attracting top industry talent.
Andrew – who has worked for a number of high-profile organisations such as Serco Group, Medacs Healthcare and Pinderfields & Pontefract Hospitals NHS Trust, which later became Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust – said: “When you consider that the annual agency spend in the NHS is £2.5 billion, there is clearly a real potential to manage the procurement of agency staff more effectively, while delivering significant cost savings of up to 20 per cent.”
To date, de Poel’s compliance-friendly and web-based technology, e-tips®, has processed over two billion hours, 60,000 timesheets per week, and has delivered multi-million pound savings for an extensive range of clients responsible for the provision of healthcare services to NHS patients.
Andrew continued: “Through the standardisation of pay rates and selecting a hand-picked panel of recruitment agencies that comply with optimal rates across the board, we can streamline invoicing and timesheet processes, create visibility and control of vital Management Information (MI), and ensure Trusts are compliant. We are confident that we can replicate the type of efficiencies gained in the private health and care sectors and provide clear, effective and cost-saving solutions to NHS Trusts.”
de Poel Clarity will act as a vital link between Trusts and recruitment agencies, managing the procurement of non-permanent staff at all levels. Temporary staff range from acute medical Doctors, psychiatrists, GPs, nursing staff, allied health workers, medical secretaries, porters and general administrative workers.
The service is supported by de Poel’s innovative software, e-tips®, which reduces handling costs, and provides Trusts with instant access to spend/hours/savings and recruitment agency performance data.
He added: “As the Government sets out its agenda for ‘Better Procurement, Better Value, Better Care’, we believe our transparent, entirely independent and cost-effective approach will provide greater management and control for healthcare providers, while generating increased efficiencies across the NHS and private health and care sectors.
“With over 2,000 recruitment agencies of all shapes and sizes supporting the de Poel model, we are completely behind the UK Government’s ‘SME’ agenda. What’s more, in the public and private health care sectors, we are creating a level playing field, where we are encouraging agencies to compete on quality of service and less on candidate pay rate.”
de Poel Clarity currently works with high-profile clients that include Care UK and Scope.