Block bookings or ad-hoc shifts: which suits your service?
The trade-offs between flexibility and continuity of care, and how to choose.
Most services use agency staff in two ways: one-off shifts to plug gaps, and block bookings that place the same person on a run of shifts. Both have a place. The right choice depends on why you need cover and how long you'll need it.
Ad-hoc shifts
Ad-hoc bookings are made shift by shift, often at short notice. They suit:
- Sickness and last-minute absence
- Occasional spikes in acuity or occupancy
- Services with a mostly stable team and only the odd gap
The trade-off is continuity. You may see a different face each time, so local induction and handover matter more.
Block bookings
A block booking places the same nurse or HCA with you across a set of shifts, weeks or months. It suits:
- Covering a vacancy while you recruit
- Maternity leave or long-term sickness
- Residents or patients who benefit from familiar faces, such as people living with dementia
Once the worker learns your routines, residents and paperwork, the quality of care tends to follow. You also spend less time inducting new people.
A simple rule of thumb
If you can see the gap coming and it lasts more than a couple of weeks, a block booking is usually the better option. If it's unpredictable, book ad-hoc, and tell your agency which workers you'd like to see again.
Not sure which you need? Call us on 01274 442082 or send a request and we'll talk it through.