Frequently Asked Questions
Grosvenor Nursing is one of the UK’s leading mental health nursing agencies, established in 1986 and part of the A24 Group. We supply registered mental health nurses (RMNs), registered general nurses, healthcare assistants and support workers to NHS trusts, hospitals, secure units, prisons and complex care providers nationwide, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This page answers the questions nurses ask before joining our staff bank, and the questions NHS and private clients ask before placing a contract.
For nurses, RMNs and HCAs joining our staff bank
How much do agency RMNs and HCAs earn with Grosvenor Nursing?
Pay depends on your band, specialism, shift type and location. We publish current rates for support workers, HCAs, RGNs and RMNs, including SPMH (mental health), SPLD (learning disabilities), SCMH (community mental health) and SCLD specialisms, on our pay rates page. Registering with Grosvenor also gives you access to work across the wider A24 Group, which means more local shifts and additional earning opportunities. Holding current specialist certifications, such as BILD-certified restraint and immediate life support, increases the rates you can command.
How quickly can I start working after I register?
You can usually be cleared for your first shift once your compliance file is complete: a valid NMC PIN (for nurses), an enhanced DBS on the Update Service, right-to-work evidence, references, occupational health clearance and current mandatory training. Our compliance team works through these with you on the Staffshift platform. Most fully documented nurses are placed within 1-2 working days.
What documents and checks do I need to join?
To work in NHS and private mental health settings you need a valid NMC registration (nurses), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, proof of right to work in the UK, satisfactory references, occupational health clearance and up-to-date statutory and mandatory training. The DBS process and how your certificate is handled is explained in the A24 Group DBS guide, and the DBS sets the national standard. Keeping your DBS on the DBS Update Service lets us re-use your certificate across placements.
What training do I need, and does Grosvenor help me get it?
All staff must complete annual practical training aligned to the UK Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF): resuscitation, moving and handling, fire safety and conflict resolution. Mental health placements also require BILD-certified restraint training and Immediate Life Support (ILS) for staff involved in rapid tranquilisation, restraint or seclusion. We have negotiated discounted rates with national training providers and run courses in more than 35 locations across the UK. Full details are on our training page.
How does Grosvenor support my NMC revalidation?
Revalidation renews your NMC registration every three years and requires 450 practice hours, 35 hours of CPD (20 of them participatory), five pieces of practice-related feedback, five written reflective accounts and a health and character declaration. We support you by providing a contract of registration confirming your hours, issuing client feedback forms, storing your training certificates on your profile, and conducting appraisals you can use in your portfolio. See our revalidation support page and the NMC revalidation guidance for the full requirements.
Can I choose my own shifts and locations?
Yes. You book and manage your own availability through the Staffshift mobile app and online platform, choosing shifts that fit around your life. Our booking team operates 24 hours a day, every day, so you can pick up work at short notice or plan ahead. We supply across England, Scotland and Wales, including Birmingham, Manchester, London, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield.
What types of mental health placements do you offer?
We place RMNs, HCAs and support workers into acute mental health wards, psychiatric intensive care, secure and forensic units, prisons, learning disability services, community mental health teams and complex care settings. Specialisms include SPMH, SPLD, SCMH and SCLD. Whether you want short-term flexible shifts or longer block bookings, we match you to settings that suit your experience.
How do I keep my compliance up to date?
Your Staffshift Compliance Passport tracks every document and certificate, flags what is due to expire and reminds you when to renew, so you stay ready to work without gaps. Uploading new certificates against the email linked to your Staffshift account keeps your status current automatically.
Is it free to register?
Yes, registration with Grosvenor Nursing is free. Once registered you also gain access to work and training opportunities across the A24 Group network.
For NHS and healthcare clients sourcing mental health staff
Which NHS frameworks is Grosvenor Nursing on?
Grosvenor Nursing supplies through national NHS frameworks, including the NHS Workforce Alliance Framework Clinical and Healthcare Staffing (RM6281), and partners with NHS HealthTrust Europe and the London Procurement Partnership (LPP). Framework supply means our rates sit within agreed price caps and our compliance is independently assured, so procurement teams can contract with confidence.
How do you vet and compliance-check your mental health nurses?
Every nurse and HCA is checked against NHS Employers’ national recruitment standards before placement: NMC registration verification, enhanced DBS, right-to-work, references, occupational health clearance and CSTF-aligned mandatory training. Our compliance is audited through uComply, and we hold APSCo Trusted Partner status. Standards follow the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS Employment Check Standards.
What are your fill rates and time-to-fill?
We staff shifts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, using experienced consultants and matching technology to place the right nurse for each shift, including same-day and emergency cover. Verified average fill rate 97%, average time-to-fill under 24 hours, and 24/7/365 emergency cover response time.
Can you supply at scale and for specialist mental health units?
Yes. We supply acute and psychiatric intensive care wards, secure and forensic units, prisons, learning disability and community mental health services, and complex care providers nationwide. We cover short-term, block and long-term placements, and our reach across the A24 Group gives us depth of available staff for large or recurring requirements.
How do you ensure quality and clinical governance?
We operate continuous compliance monitoring, structured appraisals, client feedback collection and clear escalation routes. Staff training is kept current against the CSTF and, for mental health placements, BILD-certified restraint and ILS standards.
How are your rates structured against framework price caps?
Our charge rates are set within the ceilings of the NHS frameworks we supply through, with transparent breakdowns for pay, on-costs and agency margin. Contact bookings@grosvenor-nursing.co.uk for framework pricing and enquiries. This keeps spend auditable and compliant with NHS agency rules.
How do we set up a contract or request staff?
Our booking and account teams are available 24 hours a day, every day. Call 0330 678 3019, WhatsApp 0772 3489 834, or email info@grosvenor-nursing.co.uk to discuss framework supply, a service-level agreement or immediate cover. We will confirm compliance assurance and supply terms before any placement.
Request staff or discuss a framework contract.
Content reviewed by: Sally Page, Registered Manager & Safeguarding Lead, ENG (1986), RGN (1992), ENB 998, ENB 941, ENB 931, City & Guilds 7307-1, BTEC Level 7 Advanced Professional Certificate in Management Studies. Over 34 years' nursing experience across NHS and private sector; three decades with Grosvenor Nursing, part of the A24 Group.
This page is reviewed regularly to reflect current NMC, CQC and NHS framework requirements. For anything not covered here, contact our 24/7 team on 0330 678 3019.
Last updated: June 2026