6. WORKFORCE
6.1.3 What was the expenditure on non-NHS
(agency, etc.) staff (nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff;
and other staff) in each NHS Trust, PCT and SHA in each year from
1997-98, in cash terms and as a percentage of total staff costs?
(Q72)
Answer
1. Information is collected from all SHAs,
PCTs and NHS trusts in England on expenditure on agency staff.
The latest year for which this data is available is 2008-09.
2. Spend on the above mentioned items at
NHS foundation trusts (NHS FTs) is not recorded on Department
of Health, trust or PCT financial returns, but is published in
Annual Reports and Accounts for each NHS FT. NHS FT Annual Reports
do not report agency spend by staff category and therefore this
spending is not included in this answer.
3. For England, the total expenditure in
2008-09 under the heading of nursing, midwifery and health visiting
agency staff was about £282 million.
4. The Department expects trusts to utilise
staff effectively to deliver value for money and it is right that
they demonstrate efficiency in their use of agency staff.
5. For England, the total expenditure in
2008-09 on all other agency staff was around £992 million.
6. Agency spend across NHS staff groups
reached a low point in 2006-07, as a result of financial pressures
within the NHS. Since 2006-07, agency spend has been increasing
and the latest available data in 2008-09 shows that agency spend
has risen significantly.
7. In 2008-09, agency costs as a percentage
of overall staff costs rose from 3.2 per cent in 2007-08 to 4.7
per cent.
8. Increases in agency spend reflects the
fact that the NHS continues to invest in key staff such as midwives
and nurses. This investment will provide greater stability as
the NHS improves and enhances patient care and safety through
these critical front-line services.
9. Temporary staffing is a key component
of the NHS's ability to be flexible in managing variation in activity
levels, and to cover vacancies and staff absences. The NHS manages
variation in demand by using staff from independent agencies (private
companies), NHS Professionals and trust nursing banks.
10. The local NHS must ensure it has the
appropriate number of staff, including temporary staff, to deliver
services for patients. Trusts can procure efficiently sourced
agency staff to contribute to the management of temporary gaps
and peaks in service demand, whilst achieving purchasing savings
and improving supply performance across the NHS.
11. Detailed information is provided in
tables 72a to 72x (not printed, available at http:/www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmhealth/269/excel/excel.htm).
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