You should know the rate, the service and the role before you say yes.
That sounds obvious. It is also the single most common complaint people have about agency work, which tells you how often it does not happen.
Registration to payslip, in six steps.
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Register and talk to us
You tell us your experience, the areas you can get to, the shifts that suit you and what you would rather avoid. We would rather know now than send you something unsuitable.
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Complete your checks
Identity and right to work, DBS, references, registration if your role needs it, and mandatory training. We tell you what is outstanding and help you get it done.
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We offer you shifts
With the service, the role, the hours, the location and the rate stated before you accept. You decide. Declining a shift is not held against you.
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You are briefed before you go
Where to report, who to ask for, what the role involves, anything specific about the service. If we have not told you, ask us — do not just turn up hoping.
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You work the shift
On site you follow the service’s policies and their instructions, the same as their own staff. If something is wrong or unsafe, tell them and tell us.
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Your hours are confirmed and paid
Hours confirmed with the service, then paid according to the arrangements set out in writing when you registered. Any query gets a straight answer.
What you can expect, and what we expect back.
Agency work goes wrong when only one side of this list is taken seriously.
What you can expect from us
- The rate, the hours and the location before you accept anything
- A proper briefing on the service and the role
- An honest description, including the difficult parts
- Somebody to call in office hours when a shift goes wrong, and a voicemail that is picked up the next working day
- No pressure to take work that does not suit you
- Clear answers about pay and hours, in writing
What we expect from you
- Turn up, on time, or tell us as early as you can if you cannot
- Work within the service’s policies and your own competence
- Say if you are asked to do something you are not trained for
- Keep confidentiality about the people you support
- Keep your training and documents current
- Raise concerns rather than sitting on them
Different settings, and they really are different.
A nursing home night shift and a supported living day are not the same job. We will not treat your experience as interchangeable, and we will tell you when a setting is likely to be unfamiliar.
- Residential and nursing homes
- Supported living services
- Learning disability and autism services
- Mental health services
- Community and domiciliary services
- Complex and continuing care packages
Who you actually work for
Oakline handles your registration, your assignments and your pay. While you are on a shift you work within the service’s policies and under their supervision, in the same way as their own staff.
If anything about that division ever feels unclear on a shift, ring us.
No guarantees, stated plainly
Registering with Oakline does not guarantee shifts, a placement or a number of hours. Any agency that tells you otherwise is not being straight with you.
Pay, hours and the things that go wrong.
How many shifts will I get?
We cannot tell you, and we will not invent a number. It depends on what services are requesting, where you can travel, your availability and your experience.
What we can promise is that we will be straight with you about what is realistic in your area and for your role, rather than keeping you on a list and hoping.
Do I have to accept every shift you offer?
No. Declining is normal and it is not held against you. We would far rather you turned down a shift that does not suit you than took it reluctantly and cancelled later.
How and when am I paid?
Pay arrangements, the rate for each assignment and the pay frequency are confirmed to you in writing before you start work. We will not describe them vaguely and we will not change them without telling you.
If a payment ever looks wrong, contact us and we will check it and explain what happened.
What if I am asked to do something I am not trained for?
Say no, say why, and tell the person in charge of the shift. Then tell us. You should never be put in that position, and if it happens we will take it up with the service.
Working outside your competence is not loyalty. It puts the person you support at risk and it puts you at risk.
What if something goes wrong on a shift?
Follow the service’s procedures first — they are responsible for the setting and for incident reporting. Then tell us, whatever it is. We would always rather hear about something early.
If you believe someone is at risk of harm, report it through the service’s safeguarding procedure. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Can a temporary shift lead to a permanent job?
It happens, and we do not stand in the way of it. Working in a service is the best way for both sides to find out whether it suits. Tell us if you are interested and we will handle it properly with the employer.
Can I work temporary shifts alongside another job?
Many people do, including people with a permanent post elsewhere or who are studying. Be honest with us about your total working hours so the shifts we offer you are safe and legal.
Register once, then talk to a person.
We will go through what you are looking for, what is realistic, and what checks you need before your first shift.