Providing Last-Minute Staffing in the UK
Case Study
Background
Ambition 24hours, part of the A24 Group, pioneered the first 24/7 nurse staffing model in the United Kingdom. Our commitment to round-the-clock availability was born out of a clear, unmet need in the market: hospitals often face sudden staffing shortages, and filling those gaps quickly is critical to patient care.
The Challenge
A large National Health Service (NHS) hospital in the UK faced persistent short notice staffing gaps, especially during peak hours and holidays. Existing agencies offered standard business-hour support, which often left the hospital scrambling to find last-minute nursing cover.
Key obstacles included
Short notice shifts: Unplanned staff absences and unpredictable patient inflow.
Compliance requirements: Need for quick but thorough background checks, credential verification, and regulatory compliance.
Limited availability of agency staff: Traditional agencies were unavailable after office hours, causing costly delays.
Our Approach
Ambition 24hours provided a dedicated 24/7 support model, ensuring the hospital could request nurses at any time - day or night. Our process included:
Immediate Needs Assessment: Establishing a direct communication channel with the hospital’s staffing coordinators to capture last-minute requirements in real-time.
Rapid Candidate Matching: Leveraging a comprehensive database of fully vetted, pre-qualified nurses ready to be assigned quickly.
Efficient Credential Verification: Utilizing our in-house compliance team and technology tools to confirm all professional certifications before placement, even on short notice.
Ongoing Communication: Continuous updates and feedback loops, allowing the hospital to track nurse availability and placement status.
Implementation
Within hours of receiving urgent requests, our team deployed qualified nurses to the hospital wards most in need. Thanks to our 24/7 operational structure, we could:
Coordinate shifts overnight for morning coverage.
Swiftly reassign or rotate nurses if patient volumes shifted from one department to another.
Provide real-time updates so the hospital can maintain optimal staffing levels without the stress of last-minute scrambling.
Results
Immediate Coverage: The hospital filled previously unstaffed shifts at a rate 60% faster than before working with Ambition 24hours.
Reduced Overtime Costs: By rapidly placing nurses, the hospital minimized overtime expenses and burnout among permanent staff.
Elevated Patient Care: Consistent staffing levels improved patient satisfaction and continuity of care, evident in higher patient feedback scores.
Streamlined Operations: The hospital’s administrative burden decreased significantly, as Ambition 24hours handled compliance, scheduling, and last-minute logistics.
Conclusion
By offering true 24/7 availability, Ambition 24hours revolutionized last-minute staffing for NHS hospitals in the UK. Our rapid response system, thorough compliance checks, and commitment to continuous communication ensured that healthcare facilities could always access skilled nursing professionals - no matter the hour. This approach not only bridged critical staffing gaps but also contributed to better patient outcomes and enhanced operational efficiency.