Zero-hours contracts may need to change, says Allied Healthcare boss
9 October 2013
Dr Richard Preece, the medical director of care and healthcare staffing provider Allied Healthcare, says the company is considering whether zero-hours contracts, widely used in the care sector, are the best way to attract and retain the best care staff.
Wed, 9 Oct 2013
Dr Richard Preece, the medical director of care and healthcare staffing provider Allied Healthcare, says the company is considering whether zero-hours contracts, widely used in the care sector, are the best way to attract and retain the best care staff.
Preece was speaking as part of a Channel 4 News story broadcast last night, which has reignited the controversy over zero hours contracts.
He told Channel 4 News: “Zero-hours contracts have been the norm in the sector for all time, and that’s why we are looking at it very closely”, adding “it may well be that this needs to change in the future”.
Preece said that this might be necessary even though the company rostered staff two weeks in advance, and staff on zero-hours contracts worked on average 25 hours a week. He added that in order to provide the best service to its patients, “we have got to identify, attract and retain the best care workers and that is absolutely on our agenda”.
In a statement issued to recruiter.co.uk, Allied Healthcare says the company had “for some time been reviewing a number of options to ensure we can attract and retain the right staff to ensure that we can continue to provide the best care for our customers. The review of zero hours contracts is part of a package of measures that we are considering.”
Zero-hours contracts have become a hot issue in recent months, with Labour leader Ed Miliband calling a review into their use, and companies, including Sports Direct, McDonald’s, Randstad and even Buckingham Place coming under fire.
During the same news item, Rochelle Monte, who works for Allied Healthcare, claimed that zero-hours contracts were one reason for high turnover across the care sector, and this was putting people at risk. Monte blamed the commissioning system, which she said only paid for contact time with clients.
Paul Tarsey, chairman of care home company Bluebird Care, has defended the use of zero-hours contracts, telling recruiter.co.uk that many of the company’s staff like their flexibility. However, he didn’t rule out reviewing their use. “If we felt that zero hours contracts were no longer attractive to people, we would be stupid not to look at it,” he says.
Tarsey said that most people saw opportunities for training and career development “as every bit as important” when considering whether to enter the sector.
Dr Richard Preece, the medical director of care and healthcare staffing provider Allied Healthcare, says the company is considering whether zero-hours contracts, widely used in the care sector, are the best way to attract and retain the best care staff.
Preece was speaking as part of a Channel 4 News story broadcast last night, which has reignited the controversy over zero hours contracts.
He told Channel 4 News: “Zero-hours contracts have been the norm in the sector for all time, and that’s why we are looking at it very closely”, adding “it may well be that this needs to change in the future”.
Preece said that this might be necessary even though the company rostered staff two weeks in advance, and staff on zero-hours contracts worked on average 25 hours a week. He added that in order to provide the best service to its patients, “we have got to identify, attract and retain the best care workers and that is absolutely on our agenda”.
In a statement issued to recruiter.co.uk, Allied Healthcare says the company had “for some time been reviewing a number of options to ensure we can attract and retain the right staff to ensure that we can continue to provide the best care for our customers. The review of zero hours contracts is part of a package of measures that we are considering.”
Zero-hours contracts have become a hot issue in recent months, with Labour leader Ed Miliband calling a review into their use, and companies, including Sports Direct, McDonald’s, Randstad and even Buckingham Place coming under fire.
During the same news item, Rochelle Monte, who works for Allied Healthcare, claimed that zero-hours contracts were one reason for high turnover across the care sector, and this was putting people at risk. Monte blamed the commissioning system, which she said only paid for contact time with clients.
Paul Tarsey, chairman of care home company Bluebird Care, has defended the use of zero-hours contracts, telling recruiter.co.uk that many of the company’s staff like their flexibility. However, he didn’t rule out reviewing their use. “If we felt that zero hours contracts were no longer attractive to people, we would be stupid not to look at it,” he says.
Tarsey said that most people saw opportunities for training and career development “as every bit as important” when considering whether to enter the sector.
