What you need to know about working for a nursing agency in Scotland
Working for a nursing agency
Everything you need to know about working for a nursing agency in Scotland. Medway Care Services is an Edinburgh-based nurse agency.
What you need to know about working for a nursing agency in Scotland?
Scotland is facing a shortage of nurses in the health and care sector, and the demand is increasing each year. Feeling undervalued in traditional work environments, many nurses are turning to agencies to deliver a high standard of care to patients within a flexible and supportive environment.
As a care agency fully regulated by the Care Inspectorate, Medway Care Services is dedicated to providing the best care for our service users and offering our staff flexibility, variety, and better work-life balance.
In this blog, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about working for a nursing agency in Scotland, and how you can apply to work with us.
What Does It Mean to Work For a Nursing Agency?
How does working for a nursing agency in Scotland compare to working in the NHS?
While NHS nurses tend to work in the same environment with the same team, agency nurses are called upon to care for patients in different environments, such as care homes or residential facilities, often at short notice..
Why It Matters in Scotland
Research from the Royal College of Nursing Scotland reported that in late 2025, there were over 2,800 NHS nursing vacancies left unfilled, and that over a third of current nursing staff surveyed were considering leaving their jobs. This means that agency staff will become increasingly vital in Scotland to fill the gaps in hospitals, care homes, and in the community.
Typical Roles Available
There are a variety of full-time and part-time roles you can apply for in nursing agencies, including:
Health Care Assistant: providing personal care to clients in private residential/care homes or at-home care.
Registered Nurse: providing nursing care for clients and supervising junior staff in a private setting.
Auxiliary roles, such as Cleaner or Kitchen Porter, in residential and care facilities.
Key Benefits of Agency Nursing
Control Over Your Schedule
Working for a nursing agency in Scotland means you can benefit from total flexibility. You can choose full-time, part-time and weekend shifts to fit in with your family commitments, education or work-life balance.
At Medway Care Services, our staff can work as much or as little as they want, with complete control over the shifts they choose with the Medway Care Services app. Some people choose to take on agency shifts alongside a permanent role.
Competitive Pay and Perks
Agency nurses and carers usually benefit from a higher hourly pay rate than permanent staff, with overtime, weekend and night shift allowances. Permanent staff in NHS roles have a set salary, while agency nurses earn more or less depending on the shifts they pick up, which is ideal for those who value flexibility at work.
Medway Care Services offers competitive rates of pay we pay our staff weekly. We also provide additional income opportunities like our referral bonus scheme.
Variety of Experience and Skills Growth
By working in a nursing agency in Scotland, you can experience different care environments across the country, such as:
Nursing homes;
Residential homes;
Hospitals
Clinics
Charities;
Day centres;
Respite care settings.
With Medway Care Services, you can choose shifts within different organisations to find out which environment you are best suited to.
Support and Training
Agency work allows nurses and carers to unlock continuous professional development opportunities, with consistent mentorship and support from agency coordinators. By working in different healthcare settings, agency nurses and carers can broaden their expertise and develop new skills.
We are committed to supporting our staff’s training and career progression. Our staff have access to courses, certifications and workshops to build their expertise alongside mandatory annual training.
What To Expect When Working Through Medway Care Services
To get started in your career with Medway Care Services, you first need to fill out an online application and provide the following information:
Proof of ID and address
Right-to-work documentation
National Insurance
P45/ P60
Proof of SSSC registration or NMC Pin
PVG Scheme membership
Relevant training & qualifications certificates
2 references
Bank details
Then, we will match you to the right role based on your skillset, preferences and the needs of our clients.
Once you start working for us, you’ll have access to continued professional training and support. Our team will guide you through the onboarding process, requirements and paperwork.
Here’s what our staff have said about their experience working for Medway Care Services:
“It is indeed a very nice experience working with Medway. The care plans, service delivery, follow-up and after-service engagement are very fantastic and professional.”
“Working with Medway Care Services has provided me with an opportunity for professional development competitive with the industry. Thank you, Medway, for standing by your staff.”
How to Apply
We hope by now that you have a better idea of what it’s like working for a nursing agency in Scotland. By choosing agency work, you can enjoy flexibility, competitive pay and a new challenge.
If you’re ready to begin your career with Medway Care Services, you can submit an application and a member of staff will be in touch to take you through the next steps.
