Spending on agency staff jumps by 20% as bosses pay premium rates to plug holes in rotas.
NHS bosses are increasingly paying premium rates for agency staff to plug holes in rotas, the BBC has found.For many shifts, bosses have been so short-staffed they have been willing to breach the government pay caps for these agency workers, most of whom are doctors and nurses.Out of 60 responses from trusts, 10 reported the most expensive shift cost over £2,000, and for another 13 it was between £1,000-2,000.
Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers which represent trusts in England, said: "Trust leaders consistently raise concerns about sky-high agency costs. Dr James Barson qualified four years ago. But instead of taking the traditional junior doctor route, he now solely focuses on agency work in hospitals across Lincolnshire.
Ministers set the NHS the task of moving away from agency work, encouraging the use of NHS staff banks, where employees do overtime.The BBC used a combination of Freedom of Information requests to individual NHS services, as well as analysing published data, to find out what was going on with agency spending, as well as using data obtained by Labour.
He acknowledges it is not the best use of taxpayer money, but says he has no choice. "Quality and safety of care is always going to be the priority," he adds. "I don't think what is happening is a surprise. There will always be some reliance on temporary staff, but you want to minimise it.""Taxpayers are picking up the bill for the Conservatives' failure to train enough doctors and nurses."
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