A retained model designed for retention, not headcount.
Most care recruitment is paid per placement. That rewards speed, not staying-power. Our retained model flips it: a clear monthly fee, a shared plan and accountability for the people who are still there in six and twelve months' time.
What's different
Four principles we hold ourselves to.
Dedicated partnership
One point of contact, one shared brief and a campaign plan we walk through together before we start.
Values-based screening
Every candidate is interviewed against scenarios from your service, not generic competencies.
Onboarding stays in scope
We stay involved through offer, start date and the first weeks. That's where retention is won or lost.
Open-book pricing
Clear monthly retainer, no hidden advertising mark-ups, and a defined replacement window.
Retained vs contingency
A side-by-side, no spin.
| Stage | Typical contingency | Northbrook retained |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | Job spec emailed across, agency works it alongside others. | Sat down together, salary tested, real success criteria agreed. |
| Screening | Volume-driven. CVs forwarded fast. | Values, scenarios, references and right-to-work all checked before shortlist. |
| Onboarding | Job done at offer. | Followed through to week 12, with retention check-ins. |
| Replacement | Negotiated case by case. | Defined upfront, in writing. |
How the partnership works
An extension of your team, on your terms.
Retained doesn't mean off the shelf. We shape the engagement around how you want to recruit, the team you already have and the brand candidates should experience.
Two ways we can engage
Recruit as a clearly badged third party, with Northbrook out front. Or white label the work: adopt your branding, tone of voice, policies and (where practical) email domain, so candidates experience your organisation start to finish.
Where we sit in your team
Support your existing recruiters with extra capacity and expertise, work alongside them as a true partner, or lead the function on your behalf when that's what you need. The shape of the engagement flexes with you.
What we do for you
Sourcing and screening against your values, attending recruitment events on your behalf, blending local and national attraction methods, and following candidates through offer and onboarding. We bring 25 years of lived and worked experience in health and social care into every brief.
What stays with you
Final hiring decisions are always yours. You stay in control of any ancillary spend (job boards, event fees, advertising budgets) and your employer brand direction. We work to your standards, not the other way round.
Wondering what it would cost?
The retainer calculator gives a quick view of monthly cost across our three tiers, with a realistic cost-per-hire based on your hiring volume.