Specialist nurse agency with a small office

Nursing homes, private clinics, independent hospitals and sometimes NHS trusts or health providers that buy through approved supplier lists.

You bill clients an hourly rate per shift and pay nurses a lower hourly rate. Specialist and nursing shifts typically carry higher rates than general care work, but compliance costs more.

• Understanding of nursing roles and clinical settings
• Building relationships with clinical managers and buyers
• Managing a small team and rotas
• Strong compliance and record-keeping habits

• Registration and inspection rules differ across the UK, so check with the relevant regulator before trading
• Check every nurse's NMC registration and revalidation status, DBS, right to work, references and mandatory training
• Many NHS and public buyers use frameworks with strict pricing and audit requirements, so check what is needed to join
• Cash flow: weekly worker pay against slow client payment can put real pressure on a young agency
• Public liability, professional indemnity and employer's liability insurance, plus data protection duties
• Reputation risk: one poor placement or missed check can lose a client, so keep clear records

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £25,000 to £100,000, depending on your office, team size and how much cash you hold to cover weekly worker pay before clients pay you. Cash flow is a key pressure, so plan for it.

Things to check include the relevant regulator's registration and inspection rules for your part of the UK, plus each nurse's NMC registration and revalidation, DBS, right to work, references and mandatory training. Check what NHS frameworks require too.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue typically around £20,000 to £100,000, depending on how many nurses you place, the settings you supply and your client mix. Revenue is not profit, as worker pay and running costs come out of it.