MANAGED STAFF BANK SOLUTIONS

Operational support to improve staff bank performance and reduce agency

Litmus partners with NHS trusts and health boards to optimise existing staff banks, strengthen fill and reduce temporary staffing costs.

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staff bank solutions

Turning cost and demand reduction ambitions into reality

Litmus helps NHS trusts and health boards deliver sustainable cost reduction across their temporary workforces.

We embed specialist teams onsite to optimise existing staff banks, reducing agency reliance, harmonising rates and giving workforce leaders the operational grip needed to hit national cost and trajectory targets. Our models also integrate regional bank collaboration to maximise workforce availability and reduce costs at scale.

We can help you to

  • Reduce agency reliance
  • Embed bank-first strategies
  • Reduce and harmonise rates
  • Improve bank utilisation
  • Achieve national targets

In-house or outsourced staff bank management?

Many NHS trusts and health boards now manage their staff banks in-house, and for some that’s the right model. But running a truly effective bank takes specialist expertise, dedicated operational capacity and constant focus on rate strategy, agency control and bank utilisation.

Litmus provides staff bank management expertise that complements NHS leadership, deploying embedded onsite teams that act as a seamless extension of existing operations.

The Litmus Result

Sustainable cost reduction, stronger bank utilisation and the operational grip needed to meet national workforce and financial targets.

Why Litmus?

Why Litmus?

✓

On-the-ground presence

Hands-on operational support, working shoulder to shoulder with NHS teams and embedding our people in the heart of service delivery.

✓

Evidence-based cost reduction

A proven track record of reducing agency reliance and delivering sustainable savings, without compromising service quality or workforce stability.

✓

Flexible NHS-first approach

People and process-led solutions that maximise the value of the NHS brand and optimise established systems and operational teams.

✓

Bank recruitment expertise

Highly targeted recruitment campaigns that consistently strengthen bank fill and reduce agency reliance across hard-to-fill specialties and high-demand services.

✓

Optimising people and processes

‘Right-sizing’ temporary staffing teams and processes to match efficiency, governance and operational performance needs, including TUPE arrangements where these form part of the solution.

✓

Strategic workforce planning

Going beyond routine management to support partners through complex workforce change, aligned to national policy and workforce trajectory targets.

Featured case study

Significant savings, a stronger staff bank and a stable, flexible workforce

A clear example of how onsite support to transform and manage temporary workforce use can help NHS organisations reduce staffing costs without compromising service quality or workforce stability.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Transforming workforce efficiency and supporting organisational change

“The results demonstrate their ability to drive impactful operational change with care, and realise significant cost savings.”

Dawn Scrafield, CEO

Litmus worked with the Trust during a challenging period, supporting the implementation of necessary changes while helping to protect workforce stability. The programme focused on operational grip, supplier management, rate control and clear performance improvement.

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Discuss your workforce challenge

Results delivered

£10mannual saving
48%agency reduction
100%rate adherence
CASE STUDY LIBRARY

EXPLORE OUR WORKFORCE IMPACT

Each case study highlights a different operational challenge, from agency reduction and staff bank transformation to regional collaboration, direct engagement and supplier control.

“

Rapidly transformed our staffing operation, consistently exceeding all KPI targets and enabling us to better manage risk and reduce staffing costs.

Lisa Murdoch, Associate Director of HR Operations
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

50%

Agency Reduction

£3.4m

Net Savings

Zero

Off Framework

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“

Transformed every aspect of our temporary medical staffing and staff bank operations. With their onsite support, we’re now maximising our available workforce.

Lianne Morse, Deputy Director of People and Culture
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

60%

Agency Reduction

£1m

Annual Saving

30%

DE uplift

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“

Proactive, responsive and really supportive service, like a seamless extension of our own teams. Almost doubled our fill and delivered impressive cost savings. We’ve just got a really good, open, honest relationship.

Karen Swindley, Workforce, Education and Strategy Director
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£2.2m

Annual Saving

60%

Agency Reduction

HSJ

Award Finalist

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“

It is extremely valuable to have a Staff Bank partner embedded within our Trust that we can depend on. From day one, the Litmus team have been incredibly responsive. We trust and value their recommendations.

Komal Gopal, Staff Bank Contract Manager
Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Zero

Off Framework

90:10

Bank-Agency Ratio

67%

Agency Reduction

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Staff Bank FAQs

Common questions about staff bank support

Technology alone cannot deliver sustained staff bank improvement. Our people can engage workers, embed new rate strategies and challenge avoidable agency use.

TUPE is often necessary step as the NHS restructures temporary staffing operations to reduce cost. Litmus is experienced at supporting staff and services through TUPE.

Yes. Litmus can provide bank enablement support that builds the systems, skills and confidence needed to take the bank in-house when the time is right.

Yes. We can build and optimise collaborative bank models where wider workforce collaboration is the goal.

A white-labelled staff bank operates under the NHS organisation’s own brand, while Litmus provides management and operational support behind the scenes. This preserves a trusted NHS identity, creates a seamless experience for bank workers, and makes any future transition to in-house management simpler and less disruptive.

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Need support with staff bank performance or temporary workforce cost reduction?

Speak to Litmus about practical, onsite staff bank support that can strengthen fill, reduce agency reliance and improve operational control.

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