Recruitment Policies & Procedures

MSD GROUP SERVICES

Recruitment Policies & Procedures

1. Safer Recruitment Policy

MSD Group Services is committed to recruiting healthcare professionals through a safe, fair, transparent and robust recruitment process.

All candidates will undergo appropriate pre-employment checks before being placed into healthcare or social care roles.

The recruitment process will assess:

• Identity
• Right to Work in the UK
• Employment history
• References
• Qualifications
• Professional registration
• DBS requirements
• Skills and experience
• Suitability for the role
• Safeguarding concerns
• Health and fitness requirements relevant to the role

Where MSD Group Services supplies workers to healthcare organisations, we will maintain appropriate recruitment records and provide required information to clients.

2. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy

MSD Group Services will provide equal opportunities throughout recruitment and employment.

Candidates will not be discriminated against because of:

• Race
• Nationality
• Ethnic origin
• Sex
• Gender
• Disability
• Age
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy or maternity
• Marriage or civil partnership

Recruitment decisions will be based on qualifications, competence, experience, suitability and the requirements of the role.

3. DBS & Criminal Record Checking Policy

MSD Group Services will identify the appropriate level of DBS check for each role where legally applicable.

Depending on the role, checks may include:

• Basic DBS
• Standard DBS
• Enhanced DBS
• Enhanced DBS with relevant barred-list check

A DBS disclosure will be assessed fairly and individually. A criminal record will not automatically prevent an applicant from being considered.

Where a role requires a particular DBS level or barred-list check, MSD Group Services will ensure the appropriate check is completed before placement, subject to applicable legal requirements.

4. Right to Work Policy

All candidates must provide appropriate evidence confirming their right to work in the UK before commencing employment or being supplied to a client where required.

MSD Group Services will:

• Verify identity documents
• Complete appropriate online checks where applicable
• Record the outcome of checks
• Monitor time-limited permissions
• Conduct follow-up checks when required

No candidate will be knowingly placed into work without the required right-to-work permission.

5. Professional Registration & Qualification Policy

Where a role requires professional registration, MSD Group Services will verify the candidate's registration before placement.

This may include checking relevant professional registers such as:

• NMC
• HCPC
• Social Work England
• Other applicable professional bodies

Qualifications relevant to the role will also be verified.

Registration status will be monitored and rechecked as appropriate.

CQC guidance requires relevant professionals working in regulated services to have appropriate and current professional registration.

6. References Policy

MSD Group Services will obtain appropriate employment references before placing candidates into relevant healthcare roles.

As a minimum, the recruitment process will normally seek two satisfactory references where applicable, including recent employment information.

References may be used to verify:

• Employment dates
• Job title
• Duties
• Conduct
• Reliability
• Performance
• Reason for leaving

GOV.UK guidance states that employment agencies supplying workers to work with vulnerable people must obtain two references and make them available to the hirer.

7. Employment History Policy

Candidates will be required to provide a complete and accurate employment history.

Any gaps in employment will be explored and appropriately documented.

Recruiters will investigate discrepancies or unexplained gaps where these may affect the candidate's suitability for healthcare work.

8. Interview & Selection Policy

All candidates will undergo an appropriate interview and assessment process.

Interviews may assess:

• Communication skills
• Understanding of safeguarding
• Compassion and empathy
• Professional conduct
• Understanding of confidentiality
• Understanding of person-centred care
• Experience with vulnerable people
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to manage challenging situations
• Role-specific knowledge and competence

Selection decisions will be documented.

9. Safeguarding Recruitment Policy

Safeguarding is a core part of MSD Group Services' recruitment process.

Candidates will be assessed for their suitability to work with children and/or vulnerable adults according to the role.

Any safeguarding concerns identified during recruitment will be escalated to the appropriate manager and investigated before a placement decision is made.

Where necessary, information will be shared with the appropriate authorities or professional regulator in accordance with the law.

10. Overseas Recruitment Policy

Where MSD Group Services recruits candidates from overseas, recruitment will comply with applicable UK immigration, employment and professional-registration requirements.

The company will verify:

• Identity
• Immigration status
• Right to Work
• Relevant qualifications
• Professional registration
• Employment history
• References
• DBS requirements where applicable

MSD Group Services will not charge candidates unlawful recruitment fees.

11. Agency Worker Placement Policy

No worker will be placed into a role unless MSD Group Services has completed the checks required for that role.

Before placement, the company will confirm:

• Candidate suitability
• Client requirements
• Required qualifications
• Required training
• DBS status where applicable
• Professional registration where applicable
• Right to Work
• References
• Any role-specific requirements

The client will receive appropriate information about the candidate in accordance with contractual and legal requirements.

12. Candidate Conduct Policy

All workers supplied by MSD Group Services are expected to maintain high professional standards.

Workers must:

• Treat service users with dignity and respect
• Maintain confidentiality
• Follow safeguarding procedures
• Follow client policies
• Work within their competence
• Report concerns appropriately
• Maintain professional boundaries
• Follow health and safety requirements
• Never abuse, neglect or discriminate against service users

Serious misconduct may result in immediate removal from a placement and further investigation.

13. Mandatory Training Policy

MSD Group Services will identify mandatory and role-specific training requirements.

Training may include:

• Safeguarding Adults
• Safeguarding Children
• Moving & Handling
• First Aid
• Medication Awareness
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Health & Safety
• Fire Safety
• Equality & Diversity
• Mental Capacity Act
• Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
• Basic Life Support
• Food Hygiene where relevant
• Mental Health Awareness
• Autism Awareness
• Behaviour Support
• Prevent
• GDPR and confidentiality

Training requirements will be reviewed regularly.

14. Competency Assessment Policy

Candidates must demonstrate that they have the skills and competence required for their role.

Where necessary, MSD Group Services may use:

• Competency assessments
• Skills tests
• Scenario-based questions
• Training assessments
• Client-specific competency requirements

Workers will only be assigned duties appropriate to their competence and experience.

CQC Regulation 19 expects appropriate processes for checking qualifications, competence, skills and experience, including competence before unsupervised work in regulated services.

15. Ongoing Monitoring Policy

Recruitment does not end when a worker starts a placement.

MSD Group Services will maintain appropriate systems for ongoing monitoring, including:

• DBS monitoring where appropriate
• Professional registration checks
• Training renewals
• Client feedback
• Incident reporting
• Complaints
• Absence and reliability
• Performance concerns
• Safeguarding concerns

Where concerns arise, MSD Group Services will take appropriate action.

16. Complaints & Whistleblowing Policy

Candidates, workers, clients and service users must have a clear route to raise concerns.

MSD Group Services will maintain procedures for:

• Complaints
• Safeguarding concerns
• Whistleblowing
• Allegations of abuse
• Professional misconduct
• Unsafe staffing
• Discrimination
• Harassment

All concerns will be investigated fairly and confidentially.

17. Data Protection & Confidentiality Policy

MSD Group Services will protect personal information collected during recruitment.

Candidate information will only be collected, processed, stored and shared for legitimate purposes and in accordance with applicable UK data-protection requirements.

Access to recruitment records will be restricted to authorised personnel.

18. Recruitment Records Policy

MSD Group Services will maintain an appropriate recruitment file for each worker.

Depending on the role, the file may contain:

• Application form
• CV
• Interview records
• Identification
• Right-to-work evidence
• DBS information
• References
• Qualification certificates
• Professional registration
• Training records
• Employment history
• Competency assessments
• Health declarations where legally appropriate
• Client placement records
• Incident or disciplinary records where applicable

19. Recruitment Quality Assurance

Management will conduct regular audits of recruitment files to ensure required checks have been completed.

Any missing or incomplete information will be identified and corrected.

The company will maintain a recruitment compliance checklist and will not rely solely on a candidate's statement that checks have been completed.

Where a client is itself a regulated provider, MSD Group Services will cooperate with the client's requirements and provide appropriate assurance that supplied staff have been properly recruited and checked.

20. Policy Review

All recruitment policies will be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to legislation, regulation, contractual requirements or best practice.

The policies will be approved by company management and communicated to all recruitment staff.

MSD GROUP SERVICES

Our commitment:

Safe Recruitment. Quality People. Better Care.

This policy framework is reviewed in line with healthcare recruitment compliance, particularly according to MSD Group Services acting as an employment agency, employment business, or providing regulated care.