ICS succeeds in supplying 25 full time nurses all meeting ‘additionality’ in just 2 weeks


ICS are proud to be working with the Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre since its opening in early August 2005, providing specialist nurses and consultants on short to mid-term contracts in a variety of areas such as theatres, ward management and pre-assessment. As Shepton Mallet is under strict recruitment criteria, whereby they cannot recruit nurses having worked in the NHS during the last six months, ICS has been a strong partner in providing nurses experienced in the independent sector whilst Shepton Mallet’s international recruitment efforts for permanent staff are underway.

The completion of Somerset’s first independent sector NHS Treatment Centre now offers Somerset and North Dorset NHS patients choice and treatment of the highest quality.

More than 30 independent sector treatment centres are now operating in England with more to follow. They form part of a major Government initiative to increase capacity within the NHS, driving down waiting times and extending choice to patients.

The new Shepton Mallett Treatment Centre went through a rigorous, costly and time consuming Department of Health process to finally achieve its status as an ISTC. They are very proud of the fact that they have got to the position they are now in, in such a short space of time. Working with both the NHS and contractors, this complex project has come in on time and on budget. Not a small accomplishment.
Shepton Mallet is now conducting pre-assessment day case surgery and in-patient workload. Providing one-stop assessments of patients prior to surgery (including patient interviews, testing, MRIs, etc.) means patients don’t have to schedule a number of appointments beforehand, so benefit greatly in saved time and stress.

Approximately 12,000 procedures per year have been contracted to Shepton Mallet. Clinically suitable patients from across Somerset and North Dorset will now be able to benefit from the choice of referral to the new centre for joint replacements, ophthalmic procedures and endoscopies in addition to a range of other orthopaedic and general surgical procedures.

And, they’ll benefit by the highest standards in patient care. This is an organisation that sees itself as a patient focused centre of clinical excellence; with a lot of health care experience at work and thorough, state-of-the-art protocols in place for cross infection control. Not critical to health care, but certainly enhancing the care experience, are the patient facilities on offer — from optimal on site catering to phones and flat screen TVs with Sky at each bed.

Ralph Day, New Business Development Manager at Shepton Mallet, reinforced the advantages of this relationship, “ICS were of enormous benefit at the outset to get us operational. We see them as key going forward to continue filling gaps and supporting our needs.”

The relationship from ICS’s perspective has been extremely positive, with our nurses and doctors particularly enjoying working in this environment. The whole experience reinforces our commitment to working with ISTCs and continue to develop a broader client base in this sector of the market.