Joining a UK Nursing Agency: The Compliance Checklist Every Nurse Needs

Most agencies treat compliance as a formality - a box-ticking exercise that happens somewhere between application and first shift. I've spent over a decade in compliance, the last several years leading the team here, and I see it differently: compliance is the first real signal of how an agency will treat you once you're on their books. An agency that manages your compliance file well will manage your bookings, your pay, and your problems well too. One that doesn't, won't. 

That's the lens for this checklist. It's not just what to gather - it's the order to do it in, and why that order matters. 

Why compliance is the hidden bottleneck 

Nurses considering agency work tend to assume the long part is finding a good agency. In practice, the long part is the documentation - and most of it sits with the nurse, not the agency. A well-prepared candidate completes compliance in seven to ten working days. A disorganised one can take two months. 

In my experience, that gap almost never comes down to the paperwork itself being hard to get. It comes down to two things: candidates not understanding that agency compliance works differently from permanent employment - where a single onboarding pack usually covers everything - and simply not knowing what order to tackle things in, so the slow items sit untouched while the fast ones get done first. That's backwards. It should be the other way round. 

That's the gap this checklist is built to close. It's sequenced to overlap waiting periods, so the slow items - DBS, occupational health - run in the background while you complete the faster ones. If you haven't started your application yet, you can register to work with NSUK before working through the steps below. 

Step 1: NMC PIN or HCA equivalent 

If you are a registered nurse, we'll verify your PIN against the NMC register. If your registration is lapsed, restoration can take up to six weeks - which is precisely why this is the step people leave too late. It has no fast-track, so it should never be an afterthought. For HCAs, the equivalent is your Care Certificate and CSTF. See how to register as an NSUK nurse for the full registration pathway. 

Step 2: Right to Work 

British and Irish nationals need a passport or birth certificate plus current photo ID. Everyone else proves their status digitally: EU and EEA nationals on settled or pre-settled status generate a share code through gov.uk, as do Skilled Worker visa holders, who confirm status through their UKVI account. Physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) are being phased out and are no longer accepted for right to work checks - if an agency is still asking for a BRP in 2026, that tells you something about how current their process is. If you still hold one, you'll need to set up a UKVI account and generate a share code instead. Pull your share code before you apply. 

Step 3: DBS 

An enhanced DBS check is required for all clinical agency work. While many checks are completed within a few weeks, processing times can vary depending on the individual circumstances of your application. This is the step most within an agency's control to speed up, and it's honestly where the gap between agencies shows most clearly. Incomplete or slow-to-arrive documentation from the candidate is one of the biggest causes of delay I see day to day - but the agency's side matters just as much: some of us chase the check proactively, others just wait for it to land. If you hold a current Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, we can verify it within 24 hours. NSUK can fast-track an Enhanced DBS for agency-priority candidates. 

Step 4: Occupational health clearance 

You need a current occupational health assessment covering immunity to hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, and TB, plus a Fit For Work declaration. If you have a recent NHS occupational health record (within two years for hepatitis B titres, within five years for other immunities), we can usually accept it. If not, a new assessment takes 1 to 2 weeks. In my experience, agencies that accept valid existing records save candidates real time; those that insist on redoing everything from scratch are usually doing it for their own administrative convenience, not because it's necessary. Full detail on what's required is on our occupational health requirements page. 

Step 5: Mandatory training (CSTF and equivalents) 

Current Core Skills Training Framework certificates across the 11 statutory and mandatory subjects, plus role-specific extras (BLS or ILS for clinical staff, PMVA or PSTS for mental health, paediatric BLS for paediatrics). If your training has lapsed, expect a day of e-learning plus a half-day of practical. NSUK supports this through partner training providers at discounted rates - see training for nurses and HCAs or, if you're a support worker, training for Healthcare Support Workers. 

Step 6: References 

Two clinical references covering the last three years of practice. Most agencies want them on letterhead from the referee's organisation. Give your referees notice - chasing references is the single most common reason I see for delayed activation, and it's the step where the candidate has the least control and the most riding on someone else's inbox. If there's one step where "I didn't know I needed to chase this myself" costs candidates the most time, this is it. 

Step 7: Photo ID and proof of address 

Two passport-style photos and a recent utility bill or bank statement for proof of address. Most agencies now issue digital ID badges through the Staffshift availability app; some clinical sites still require physical badges. 

Step 8: Tax and bank 

Bank details, National Insurance number, and a P45 from your last role if you have one. Most agency nurses now work PAYE through the agency itself; payroll questions go to mypay@a24group.com or through our contact our departments page. 

What good looks like in an agency 

Three signs an agency is well-run: a single point of contact for compliance who you can phone, a digital portal that shows you what is outstanding in real time, and clear deadlines for when each document expires. At NSUK, that's your Staffshift Compliance Passport - it gives you a live view of your compliance status and flags exactly what's missing before it becomes a delay. Bad signs: paper forms, no portal, and a vague "we'll let you know" response when you ask what is missing. 

A reputable agency will not book you for a shift you are not fully cleared for. If you are pressured to take work before your file is complete, walk away - the issue at audit is yours as much as theirs, and an agency willing to cut that corner for a shift will cut others too. 

After day one 

Compliance doesn't stop once you're on shift. Mandatory training requires regular refresher training, with renewal periods varying by subject. A DBS certificate does not have an official expiry date, but many agencies and employers require updated DBS checks as part of their own compliance policies. Your Staffshift Compliance Passport tracks all of this for you - it flags upcoming expiries and renewal deadlines so nothing lapses without warning. Keep track of your training and any renewal requirements set by your agency. 

A final word 

If there's one thing I'd want a nurse to take from this before they start, it's that agency compliance isn't the same process as being onboarded into a permanent job, even though it can feel like it should be. Treat it as its own process, with its own order, and it moves fast. Treat it like a formality to get through, and it's usually the reason a first shift gets pushed back by weeks. 

Ready to start? Apply through the NSUK Staffshift portal, call 0330 678 3064, or message Compliance on WhatsApp and we'll walk you through every step. Check our NSUK FAQs if you have questions before you begin. 

By Dillon Hannie, Compliance Manager, A24 Group