Private-sector involvement in the provision of public sector jobs in the NHS has been defended by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
The representative body of the UK's recruitment industry was responding to comments made by trade union Unison criticising the government's design to involve private recruiters in the supply of health staff to the NHS.
Private-sector employment agencies have been invited to take part in NHS Professionals (NHSP), the programme set up to manage specialist recruitment in the public health service.
Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the REC, said: "Flexible staffing arrangements will remain pivotal to the delivery of frontline services.
"The government's announcement on NHSP recognises the role of the private sector in delivering this flexibility."
He added that specialised recruitment agencies are able to provide the most cost-effective way of ensuring that appropriate candidates are chosen to fill vacancies in sectors such as health.
NHS Professionals provides 50,000 flexible and temporary members of staff to the NHS.
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