If you work in allied health or health science, you may have started hearing the word insourcing mentioned more and more over the last year or two. It is turning up in job boards, in conversations with colleagues, and in NHS communications in a way that suggests it is no longer a niche arrangement but a growing part of how the health service manages its workforce.

At Mediplacements, we offer both insourcing and locum solutions across allied health and health science. So we understand this landscape from the inside, and we want to give you an honest picture of what both options look like and how to decide which one is right for you.

What insourcing actually means
Insourcing, in the NHS context, refers to the practice of NHS trusts using staff sourced through approved providers to deliver additional clinical sessions, often outside of standard contracted hours. Rather than filling gaps through traditional agency arrangements, the trust runs an additional capacity programme using staff who are brought in specifically to reduce waiting lists or cover periods of high demand.

In practice this might look like a radiographer completing extra reporting sessions in the evenings or at weekends. A biomedical scientist working additional shifts during a backlog period. A pharmacist providing clinical review sessions to support a trust's medicines management programme. A podiatrist running additional clinics to clear a community waiting list.

The activity stays within the NHS system. The trust retains oversight of the clinical governance, and the sessions are typically planned in advance rather than being reactive short-notice cover.

How insourcing differs from locum work
Traditional locum work is reactive and flexible. A trust needs cover at short notice, a gap appears on a rota, a department needs additional capacity urgently, and a specialist recruiter like Mediplacements finds the right person quickly. Locum work gives you maximum flexibility over where you work, when you work, and which trusts you take on.

Insourcing is more structured. The sessions are pre-planned, the activity is focused on specific waiting list or backlog targets, and the working environment is typically a single trust running a defined programme. For some professionals that structure is appealing. For others, the variety and flexibility of traditional locum work suits them better.

At Mediplacements, we work with AHPs and health scientists across both models. Some of our candidates do both, using insourcing for planned additional income and locum work for the flexibility it brings.

Why insourcing is growing right now
The NHS is under sustained pressure to reduce waiting times, and the government's commitment to tackling the elective care backlog has accelerated the search for cost-effective capacity solutions. Insourcing has emerged as one of the more efficient ways for trusts to increase activity quickly, using staff who are already familiar with NHS environments and clinical governance requirements.

For allied health and health science professionals, that creates a genuine opportunity. Trusts running insourcing programmes need experienced, registered clinicians who can step in and deliver high-quality clinical sessions with minimal onboarding. If that sounds like you, the timing is good.

Which option is right for you?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you are looking for right now.

If you value flexibility, variety, and the ability to work across different trusts and settings, traditional locum work is likely the better fit. If you prefer a more structured arrangement with pre-planned sessions and a single working environment, insourcing may suit you better. And if you want the best of both, we can help you build a working pattern that combines the two.

Talk to Mediplacements
Whether you are interested in locum work, insourcing, or simply want to understand what options are available in your specialism right now, our team can help.

We specialise exclusively in allied health and health science recruitment, covering more than ten specialisms including radiography, biomedical science, cardiac physiology, pharmacy, speech therapy, podiatry, audiology, dietetics, psychological therapy, phlebotomy, and sterile services.

Browse our latest vacancies or get in touch with our team today. We would love to talk it through with you.