As healthcare services across the UK continue to evolve under pressure, one workforce trend is becoming more visible by the day: the demand for nurses and healthcare assistants who can operate across multiple specialties.
This growing need for flexibility is not just a staffing preference — it is a survival strategy. From overstretched A&E units to community health teams managing rising caseloads, providers are actively seeking multi skilled professionals who can adapt quickly and deliver consistent care in varied clinical environments.
In today’s climate, rigid rota structures and single skill role allocations often lead to unfilled shifts and unbalanced workloads. In response, facilities are prioritising staff who can switch between settings — for example, an RGN who can cover both A&E and surgical recovery, or a nurse confident in both ward and community visits.
Benefits for providers:
Fewer cancelled shifts due to skill misalignment
Increased rota flexibility during last minute changes
Enhanced continuity of care across patient pathways
A trust in the Midlands recently created a staffing framework that identifies and books nurses with both acute and community care experience. These clinicians are deployed in transitional care roles — bridging hospital discharge and home support.
Results:
27 percent faster discharge rates for elderly patients
Reduced readmission risk
Better coordination between hospital and community teams
HCAs with a foundation in mental health are increasingly valuable across wards, not just in specialist settings. Whether supporting dementia patients, managing behavioural challenges, or helping post discharge mental health patients reintegrate, HCAs with mental health awareness bring calm, insight, and clinical confidence.
Cromwell has responded by training more HCAs in mental health fundamentals and prioritising placements where those skills add immediate value.
Staffing strategies that rely on single site, single skill models are becoming harder to sustain. Instead, facilities are building cross specialty teams — smaller, more adaptable groups of clinicians who can flex in both location and scope.
At Cromwell, we support this model by:
Matching clients with nurses and HCAs trained across key domains
Investing in upskilling and cross training our talent pool
Building workforce plans that anticipate specialty crossover needs
Whether you need an RGN who can move between wards or HCAs confident in both general and mental health support, Cromwell can help you plan, source, and staff flexibly.
