Framework for Non-Clinical Staffing

Public sector organisations face ongoing challenges in recruiting skilled non-clinical staf efficiently and cost-effectively

The need for a reliable, high-quality workforce extends across various sectors, including healthcare, government, and education. This framework is designed to streamline the hiring process, ensuring access to experienced professionals while maintaining compliance with procurement regulations and budgetary constraints.     

The non-clinical staffing framework is available to all public and third-sector organisations from 25th April 2023 to 24th April 2027.                 

Eligible organisations include NHS contracting authorities, central and local government bodies, universities, charities, and emergency services.     

This framework enables organisations to efficiently hire high-quality non-clinical workers across various engagement types, including fixed-term, temporary roles, and contractor positions throughout the UK.

Scope of roles

The framework covers a diverse range of non-clinical roles, including administration and secretarial support, finance, accounts, and audit professionals, IT technicians, analysts, and technical engineering specialists, digital professionals and legal experts, environmental and scientific specialists, catering, driving, and security personnel, as well as estates and maintenance professionals.     

Organisations have the flexibility to engage staff directly from suppliers on an as-needed basis or establish a managed service arrangement.

Key benefits

The framework offers several advantages, including an NHS England-approved procurement route for non-clinical temporary staffing. It provides access to a broad selection of experienced suppliers, including Small and Medium Enterprises, specialist providers, and managed service solutions. Maximum agreement rates are fixed in line with NHS England agency price caps. Organisations can achieve larger savings through built-in discounts, including reductions for longer placements, worker nominations, or bulk hiring. Transparent cost structures are available for PAYE and limited company temporary workers, including fixed-term appointments.     

Quality assurance audits are conducted by Crown Commercial Service to ensure that NHS pre-employment checks comply with NHS Employers Check Standards and Skills for Health policies. Non-NHS contracting authorities can define their own pre-employment checks, such as Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).     

Direct award is available and supported by the NHS Workforce Alliance to enable quick access to workers when needed. A range of tools, E F including the rate card, award support tool, and region/skills matrix, is available to assist in supplier selection. The framework is free to use, with no membership requirements, and fees are collected directly from suppliers.     

Through a managed service arrangement, the provider will oversee all workforce requirements, either by directly supplying staff or leveraging their supply chain. Additionally, organisations can arrange for suppliers to manage projects and take responsibility for delivering specified outcomes via output-based delivery.

Carbon reduction

All suppliers for this agreement have committed to comply with the Procurement Policy Note 06/21: ‘Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts’ as required. If a supplier is required to publish a carbon reduction plan, you can find it on their individual supplier details page.

Procurement process

Direct award is the recommended approach for hiring single or small groups of workers. This method should be used when it is clear from the contract documents that a supplier can meet the organisation’s needs while providing the best value for money. The framework specification must fully cover the organisation’s requirements. Organisations can use the lot descriptions, rate card, and award support tool to identify suitable suppliers. The Crown Commercial Service tool assists in matching staffing needs with the most appropriate suppliers, ranking them based on value and suitability. To direct award, organisations should identify suitable suppliers using the tool, rank suppliers based on direct award criteria, and award the contract using the simplified Short Order Form.     

Further competition is an option when organisations need to adjust the specification or terms or when they seek additional value for money. It is also recommended for project-based procurement through output-based delivery. This approach is not advised for single or small group hires, as suppliers may choose not to participate in smaller competitions. The NHS Workforce Alliance can assist organisations in determining their requirements and selecting the best route to market, including offering support in structuring a further competition process.     

To run a further competition, organisations must identify suppliers capable of meeting their requirements, invite all eligible suppliers to submit bids, send further competition documents to all suppliers while ensuring adequate time for them to respond, evaluate the returned tenders against the award criteria, adjust evaluation plans and weightings within the permitted range, and award the contract to the supplier offering the best value for money. If the highest-ranked supplier cannot meet the requirements, the next highest-ranked supplier should be considered until the need is fulfilled.     

Rate cards are available in two versions: one for NHS customers, which incorporates NHS England price caps, and one for other public sector customers, offering alternative pricing structures. The rate card calculates the full hiring cost based on worker pay rates and includes all associated costs for temporary and fixed-term roles, as well as transfer fees where applicable. The Crown Commercial Service’s award support tool helps organisations identify suppliers capable of providing specific roles in different regions, ranking them by price to ensure the best value for money. A tutorial on how to use the non-clinical staff customer rate card is available for guidance.