Destined to be a entrepreneur from a young age
Roisin Preston, Founder and MD of Nurses UK and Nurses UK Franchising, was always destined to be an entrepreneur as it clearly runs in her blood! Over the decades her family have run many successfully businesses and so it was growing up in this driven environment that pushed Roisin to start her own business. And it was her Mum’s passion for care and being an NHS nurse for 47 years that led Roisin to develop Nurses UK.
Roisin gives us an insight into why she started the business and why she saw franchising as the preferred method for business expansion.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m Roisin, the founder of Nurses UK. You could say entrepreneurship runs in my blood - my mother proudly served as an NHS nurse for 47 years, while my father, grandfather, and uncles all built successful businesses across various sectors from a young age. Growing up in such a driven environment instilled in me a strong work ethic and a deep passion for business.
From an early age, I was always finding ways to create something of my own. That entrepreneurial spark eventually led to the creation of Nurses UK, alongside my growing property portfolio and investments in food retail ventures. I truly love a challenge and bring that same energy and ambition into everything I do - both professionally and personally.
Outside of work, I’m very family-oriented and enjoy spending time with my young family. We love getting outdoors for long walks, attending family events, and exploring new destinations. Travelling and experiencing different cultures always inspire me to see the world - and business - through fresh eyes.
Through Nurses UK, my goal is to empower others, strengthen our communities, and build something that truly lasts - a network that uplifts people, creates opportunity, and celebrates the heart of nursing.
Can you tell us about Nurses UK
Nurses UK started trading in 2015, initially from my bedroom! We progressed to small, serviced offices and eventually to the prominent shop front premises that we occupy today. We commenced developing the franchise offer towards the end of 2024 and actively started marketing in 2025.
We chose franchising as a means of expansion due to the continuous demand for our services. Our name suggests that we have a UK wide presence (which we will do in the future). We were therefore getting calls from every part of the UK requesting Nurses and having to turn down these requests. It was this nationwide demand that made me decide that expansion through franchising was the best way forward. The success of our original branch has been due, in part, to building local relationships as a local business with decision makers. We intend to replicate this local relationship via our franchisees.
We concentrate solely on the supply of qualified nurses (Band 5 or above) to clients in the private sector as opposed to the NHS. This is a commercial decision, as private clients will pay a premium compared to NHS . This allows us to pay Nurses an attractive and above average hourly rate helping us to recruit Nurses to work for Nurses UK.
The shortage of Nurses is well publicised in the Media. As of August 2025 the NHS reported 36,000 nursing vacancies representing 8.5% of the total nursing positions remaining unfilled. This demand is unlikely to decrease with all indicators pointing to an increase in demand.
Why is Nurses UK a great investment for potential franchisees?
Nurses UK satisfies two of the main criteria that you should consider when buying a franchise namely – Is there a demand for the service that I am offering? Does this demand have longevity? Nurses UK satisfies both criteria.
The business model offers the potential for an attractive gross profit margin 34%-36% which, assuming that costs are in line with projections, should provide a 20% + net profitability.
As well as being financially attractive we also provide a valuable much needed service.
What differentiates Nurses UK from the competition?
There are relatively few franchises that supply nurses and none that we have found that concentrate exclusively on nurses as we do at Nurses UK. Our brand name is also a very strong name for national expansion. All of our systems are tried and tested with franchisees benefiting from management systems that assist every aspect of our business.
What is the role of one of your franchisees?
There are three primary operational roles within a Nurses UK branch:
- Recruitment of Nurses - this involve marketing advertising, interviewing, carrying out all the relevant background checks that you would expect.
- Business Development – gaining clients through marketing, contact via telephone, e-mail and face to face meeting.
- Bookings – The matching of the most suitable nurse to the client’s requirements.
A franchisee can occupy one or more of these roles as well as carrying out the normal duties associated with owning a business.
What qualities do you look for in a franchisee?
You do not need to come from a healthcare background to own a Nurses UK franchise. We are much more interested in the personal qualities of the prospective franchisee. We gain the majority of new clients following a face-to-face meeting. Our training will equip you with the knowledge to effectively highlight the benefits of using the Nurses UK’s service. What we cannot teach you however is to be ‘likable’. P
rospective clients need to believe that you understand their needs and importantly during your initial meeting, you bond with them. A work history in a B2B business development role, whilst not essential, could be an advantage. Organisational skills are also important being able to balance the needs of clients, nurses and your own staff. Finally, financial acumen is required as we expect franchisees to achieve a significant turnover and require a healthy amount for cashflow. So an understanding of P&L’s and Cashflow is important.
What challenges have you had to overcome?
Recruiting a sufficient number of nurses to satisfy demand is a continual challenge. In the 10 years since we started, we have adapted to a different way of recruiting. The majority of our recruitment budget will be devoted to online marketing. We have also introduced efficiencies in the way that we operate. By comparison to our beginning we are now almost paperless in our operations with management systems to assist in the management of nurses, clients, rostering and marketing.
What have been the company’s biggest achievements to date?
- Growing the business to a Multi-Million-pound turnover
- Launching a franchise offer
- Recruiting our first franchisee with a second deposit paid for number two
- Gaining BFA Membership
What does the future hold for Nurses UK?
Due to the continual demand for our services we are confident that Nurses UK offers a secure future for incoming franchisees.
Our aim is to, through time, provide coverage for our service throughout the UK. We are more interested however in controlled growth with the right people rather than rapid growth by accepting prospects that we did not have 100% confidence in. Our aim over the next 5 years would be to have 23 franchisees operational.
What expansion plans have you got nationally and internationally?
As above – nationwide coverage.
Once established as a successful franchise brand within the UK we will actively pursue international franchising.
What advice would you give to someone considering franchising their business?
- Take professional advice at every stage from engaging with a consultant to selecting a suitably qualified lawyer.
- Be patient – recruiting your first franchisee will take time.
- Understand that franchising will require a sizeable budget and that returns come ‘down the line’
If you had to do it all again, what would you do differently?
I would do it sooner!
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to be a Nurses UK franchisee?
Quote from our Nurses UK Orpington franchisees:
Magdelene: "I would say for anyone considering buying a franchise, you need to look into not only the systems and organization in place, but also the people behind the brand. For us, meeting Roisin and her team was a huge factor. Her energy levels, ambition and passion are very evident. We are confident that we will have the support to help us grow our franchise into a big success"
Cheong: " I agree with everything that Magdelene said. It is so important to trust and believe in the people you are going to be working with."
Why did you choose Nurses UK?
Cheong "Roisin, the founder, was definitely a big driving force in us making this decision. Her passion for Nurses UK is so infectious, and we really believe in her vision for making Nurses UK the number one Nursing agency in the UK.
Magdelene "We went down the route of Nurses UK as we believe in the systems that they have in place and as Cheong said, seeing the ambition that Roisin has, has given us confidence that she will definitely be there to support the franchisees.
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