About

We specialise in supporting clients when no-one else can

Whether the requirement is last minute, unusual, remote or difficult to cover, Thornbury Nursing can help at any time of the day or night. We work across England and Wales, recruiting to standards which exceed local regulation and guidelines.

40 years of nursing excellence

With 40 years’ experience in responding to last-minute requirements, our service is fast, reliable, and trusted. We care passionately about our nurses and the difference they make to the lives of patients and clients.

Our nurses are our reputation. We recruit only the very best professionals, and only those who embrace our ethos. Every nurse is flexible, highly experienced and willing to travel long distances, often at short notice.

We recognise the level of flexibility and commitment needed to work for us. That’s why we offer our healthcare workers industry-leading pay rates, plus other benefits such as travel costs, NMC reimbursement, training, and flu vouchers.

Our mission and vision


Our mission: To support health providers deliver the highest standards of nursing care when no one else can.

Our vision: To be the trusted provider of exceptional nurses to the NHS and private health sector, often at extremely short notice.

Our nurses are our reputation. We recruit only the very best professionals, and only those who embrace our ethos. Every one of our nurses is flexible, highly experienced and willing to travel long distances, often at short notice. We care passionately about our nurses and the difference they make to the lives of patients and clients.

Our clients

We work with a wide range of clients in both hospital and community settings. Our clients can call on us at extremely short notice, at any time, day or night. They include:

  • NHS trusts and health boards
  • Private hospitals
  • Local authorities and councils
  • Care and nursing homes
  • GP surgeries
  • Urgent care centres
  • Individuals living at home with complex health needs
  • Individuals requiring private nursing care outside of hospital
  • Mental health and learning disability units
  • Medical research organisations

Expert, nurse-led recruitment teams

Our recruitment teams are led by experienced nurses, who we believe are best placed to recruit like-minded professionals. Our recruitment process ensures that every nurse has the most recent and relevant experience. We also offer our nurses voluntary training, CPD and PREP study opportunities. This means you’ll stay up to date with the latest best practice while enhancing your skills – something usually only available for those in substantive posts.

Our history

From their humble beginnings in a living room in Bristol, a nurse and her husband dared to dream. Their vision was to create opportunities for nurses to broaden their skills and to reward them with the pay they deserve – values we still hold dear to this day. In 1983, they turned their vision into reality and founded Thornbury Nursing Services.

Since then, Thornbury Nursing has grown to become one of the leading nursing agencies in England and Wales. Over 40 years, the business has grown and innovated in many ways. Some highlights include:

  • 1996: moved operations from the original owner’s home to an office in Alma Road in Bristol
  • 2000: launched the Quick Nurse website, the first agency to offer online shift access
  • 2011: joined with Pulse and became part of the Independent Clinical Services Group (ICS)
  • 2014: introduced online shift matching within Quick Nurse
  • 2012 – 2014: opened offices in Leeds, London and Cardiff respectively
  • 2018: launched Quick Nurse as a mobile app
  • 2020: ICS rebranded to Acacium Group
  • 2022: moved our headquarters to a new office at The Pavilions in Bristol
  • 2023: launched the new Quick Nurse web app and Compliance Portal

Proud supporters of Cavell

We are a founding member of Cavell’s ‘Working with’ programme and fundraise for the Trust every year. Cavell supports UK nurses, midwives and HCAs, both working and retired. The trust can help them with personal or financial hardship, illness, disability, older age and domestic abuse.

Read more about our partnership with Cavell

Careers

People are our biggest asset, which is why we strive to create an environment that’s both challenging and rewarding. Whichever role you apply for at Thornbury Nursing, you can expect:

  • Personal development plans for career progression
  • Professional qualification support
  • Excellent rewards for your high performance

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