Below, you will find answers to the most common questions you may have about the NCL Connect staff bank and software. There are separate FAQs for Locums and for Practices.
FAQs
Locum FAQs
How do I upload my compliance documents?
Once you log into the app, click on your profile and then click on each option to upload your evidence or certificates.
How do I apply for and cancel shifts?
When a shift is uploaded and you are eligible to book, you should get an email notification inviting you to apply. You can view available and booked shifts under the “shifts” section of the app.
To cancel a shift, you can only do this on the app within 48 hours of your shift. To cancel, you can click on the shift in the app and click cancel shift. If you are cancelling less than 48 hours before the booked shift, please phone the practice or your contact directly to cancel.
How do I Submit my Timesheets?
Once the shift has been worked, the shift will be marked as completed and you will have Dagny function will show up in your app under “timesheets”. Complete the relevant hours and then submit to the practice for sign off.
I am not getting notifications about shifts – how do I set up Push Notifications on my phone?
Depending on which phone you have, you need to go into your phone settings and then find the Dagny app, turn on all notifications for this app. If your notifications are already on, please note that sometimes you may not receive notifications due to the current shifts being already filled. Go to the help section and then to technical help and then push notifications, you can see if your notifications are on. If they are disabled please enable them in this section.
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Decision making of the company
Can I appoint a representative to the board of directors?
There is no absolute right for members other than members who are GP Federations (or representatives of GP Federations) to appoint a director. Federation members are entitled to appoint a director.
Do I have a vote at meetings of members?
Yes, all members will be entitled to attend meetings of the members of the company which will be called periodically. The members who are federations will be able to exercise 75% of the available votes at any meeting and the primary care practices will have 25% of the available votes. You should note that day to day decision making will be by the directors but significant decisions such as making changes to the articles of association will be decided by the entire membership subject to the above noted weightings.
How might my membership terminate?
If you are a representative of a federation or a practice and you leave that federation or practice then you will be required to transfer your membership to an alternative representative of the federation or practice. A PCN vehicle will cease to be a member on ceasing to represent the PCN in which case membership can transfer to an alternative representative of the relevant PCN.
Otherwise membership will cease on your death or bankruptcy or corporate insolvency or on the your giving to the company seven days’ notice of your withdrawal. You can also be expelled from membership if, in the reasonable opinion of the directors:
ï your conduct is likely to have a serious adverse impact on the company or the members;
ï you act or threaten to act in a way that is contrary to the interest of the company as a whole;
ï you do not follow the rules established by the company in relation to service access (thereby threatening the VAT sharing status of the group).
The company will not expel any member without first providing to the relevant member a written memorandum of the matters giving rise to the proposed expulsion and giving the member the opportunity to remedy the circumstances giving rise to the expulsion right.
In the event a member is expelled then that member will not be automatically restricted from accessing other staff pooling arrangements.
If I only want to work a few sessions a month can I join?
Yes of course, you can join and only apply for the shifts you want.
I am a salaried GP, but would like to apply to join and take sessions on an adhoc basis
That’s absolutely fine, when you sign-up you can select your area and when sessions are loaded you will be notified – you can then apply if you wish.
As long as you are GMC registered, you can join. Salaried GPs and GP Partners are all welcome.
Practice FAQs
How do I know timescales on expiry of training compliance?
The standard mandatory training certificates are usually checked against the CQC and BMA guidelines. Most GP’s will need to attend training for most of our compliance modules every 12 months. Please check against the current CQC guidelines.
Can I release shifts to multiple boroughs and banks?
All locums that sign up are automatically added to the NCL Connect bank. This is the only bank on the software. You may be able to release shifts to multiple borough banks depending on your sign up process request.
Can we download the locums training certificates?
Yes, you can download the training and compliance items and save them, please note that we recommend storing them in a secure folder on a work computer.
We might have locums that work across Enfield in more than one practice. Can we search on the software for a specific locum in the NCL bank and add it to our bank staff from their profile?
As you are not part of the NCL connect admin staff, you will be unable to search for the locums in this bank due to your permissions being limited to your sites/ sites only. However, if you wish for your shifts to be visible to the locums signed up to the wider NCL Connect bank then you can simply mark it as visible to them when you create a shift.
What do I need to do to access the staff pool?
To access the staff pool you need to register as a member of the company, Health and Care Staff Pool Limited. You do this by making an application to join via the Cavalry software platform (Platform). The application will then be considered by the directors of the company. All applications must be approved by the directors of the company. In order to be accepted as a member you must be:
a) a North Central London GP federation which is incorporated as a company; or
b) the authorised representative of a North Central London GP federation if the federation is a partnership; or
c) a North Central London Primary Care Network which is incorporated; or
d) a North Central London primary care practice (if it is incorporated) or the authorised representative of such a primary care practice if it is a partnership and is not incorporated.
The above criteria may be updated by the directors in future and in the event that you are not accepted for membership for any reason you will still be entitled to access alternative staff pooling arrangements established by other providers.
Representatives of practices or federations will hold their membership on trust for the other members of their federation or practice and the relevant constitution of the federation or practice will need to deal with this.
Representatives will also need to consider whether the holding of the membership on trust needs to be notified to HMRC. You should check this with your accountants. You should also consider whether you require any financial advice.
What arrangements apply to the engagement of a locum from the staff pool?
When you identify a locum from the staff pool you will be able to make arrangements through the platform to enter into a contract with the locum. That agreement will be between you and the locum and will be on such engagement terms as you seek to use.
Neither the Platform provider nor the company will have any responsibility for your engagement of the locum. The service provided by the Platform is simply to provide a mechanism through which practices and locums can be introduced to each other.
As a result, neither the company nor the Platform will have any liability to you in relation to the engagement. It is important for you to note therefore:
ï when you engage a locum, you will need to check whether the engagement is subject to any previous terms which would result in a charge being payable to a third party agency: this can happen where you have previously engaged the locum through an agency and you engage them directly within the period specified by any covenants in your agreement with the agency. You should therefore check any agency terms that may have applied in the past when you engage a locum you have previously engaged through a third party;
ï in signing up to become a member you will be:
o confirming that it is your responsibility to check any previous arrangements and that the company won’t have any liability in relation to your engagements with locums;
o indemnifying the company should you seek to make a claim against the company in relation to the engagement of a locum except where the company has been negligent,
ï you will need to read and understand the terms of business of the Platform that will be provided to you on signing up to the platform; these terms will also state that you and the locum will be responsibility for any relationship of employment or of hirer and worker that may be established after an introduction is made on the Platform. For example, you will still need to ensure you have verified the locum’s qualifications including their right to work as well as any insurance cover where relevant. Please also note that this is not an exhaustive list of issues to consider.
Why do I have to become a member of a company to access the staff pool?
The benefit of becoming a member of the company is that you will be able to access the services of the staff pool without paying VAT for the services provided. You will need to comply with the terms of the VAT saving group for this to be achieved however and therefore you must access services from the company in accordance with rules that will be set by the company in accordance with article 28 of the articles of association. If you do not access services as required by HM Revenue and Customs then the VAT exempt status of services provided across the group is prejudiced and the company shall be entitled to expel any member who is not accessing sufficient services.
Will I get a share of the company’s profits?
The company is set up as a not for profit organisation. Its objects are to provide services to its members as set out at article 2. All income can only be applied in the pursuit of the objects and no distributions will be made to members.
What fees will I have to pay?
Currently, this service is provided without any additional fees. In the future, you may be required to agree to pay fees for the services provided by the Company together with, potentially, an annual membership fee. You but will be notified in advance of any requirement to pay a fee. The aggregate fees payable by the members will not exceed the expenses of the company.
Where any fees are payable on subscribing, on accessing the platform, you will receive confirmation of the applicable fees and your application for membership will include your agreement to pay the relevant fees for services provided by the company.
If fees are introduced after you become a member then you will be given advance notice of the applicability of those fees and the fee to be charged. If you do not wish to continue as a member in the light of any notice of fees payable then you will be entitled to withdraw from membership on giving seven days’ notice to the company.
What legal obligations will I have?
These FAQs are intended to assist with any questions you may have in signing up to the staff pool arrangements. On signing up to Health and Care Staff Pool Limited however you will become a member of the company and you should therefore consider the consequences for you and the organisation you represent. In particular, any party not being an individual or a company (this will be the case for a partnership) will not be able to be a member itself and the member will therefore need to be a representative of the partnership. Please note that this document is not legal advice and cannot be relied on by you or any third party. If you have any concerns as to your legal obligations you should seek professional legal advice.
What liability will I or my PCN or GP federation have as a result of becoming a member of the company?
The company is a company limited by guarantee and the liability of the members of the company is limited. Each member guarantees to the company that on the winding up of the company they will contribute £1 to the assets of the company (see article 6). Of course if you have lent any money to the company or made any other advance to the company that may be at risk if the company were to be wound up.
How do I access the health and care staff pool?
Access to the staff pool is through the Platform. Once you have applied to be and have been accepted as a member of the company you will be able to access locum staff through the platform. Locum staff will be able to sign up directly and members will be able to share their staff bank through the platform subject to those staff having agreed to such information sharing.
Complaints
If you have any complaints about the operation of the company, then those complaints should be directed to:
The Directors Health and Care Staff Pool Limited
Carlton House, 28 Tenniswood Road, Enfield EN1 3LL
Or email: nclicb.nclconnect@nhs.net
If you have any complaints about the operation of the Platform these should be directed to Dagny in accordance with their terms of business with you.
As noted above, neither the company nor the Platform is responsible for any liabilities arising out of a direct engagement between a locum and any primary care provider where an introduction is made through or as a result of the Platform.
General
As noted above, this note does not constitute legal advice and is not to be relied on. Potential members should consider whether they require independent legal advice before becoming a member of the company