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NHS boards paid £1,500 for agency nurse's shift | NHS boards paid £1,500 for agency nurse's shift |
(about 13 hours later) | |
Two health boards paid more than £1,500 for an agency nurse to cover a single hospital shift, new figures reveal. | Two health boards paid more than £1,500 for an agency nurse to cover a single hospital shift, new figures reveal. |
NHS Lanarkshire spent £1,565 on a single shift in 2015-16, while the largest amount paid by NHS Lothian in the past three years was £1,528. | NHS Lanarkshire spent £1,565 on a single shift in 2015-16, while the largest amount paid by NHS Lothian in the past three years was £1,528. |
The figures were obtained under Freedom of Information by the Scottish Conservatives, who branded them "a slap in the face" to NHS staff nurses. | The figures were obtained under Freedom of Information by the Scottish Conservatives, who branded them "a slap in the face" to NHS staff nurses. |
Health Secretary Shona Robison said agency bills were down 11% in 10 years. | Health Secretary Shona Robison said agency bills were down 11% in 10 years. |
Other health boards to pay more than £1,000 on a single nursing shift since 2013 included NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which said its highest fee was "between £1,300 and £1,600". | Other health boards to pay more than £1,000 on a single nursing shift since 2013 included NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which said its highest fee was "between £1,300 and £1,600". |
NHS Tayside confirmed it paid £1,251 for a shift in 2015-16. | NHS Tayside confirmed it paid £1,251 for a shift in 2015-16. |
'Plug gaps' | 'Plug gaps' |
Using agency and bank staff cost health boards across Scotland a total of £158m in 2015-16. | Using agency and bank staff cost health boards across Scotland a total of £158m in 2015-16. |
Tory health spokesman Donald Cameron said it was "staggering that hard-pressed health boards could find themselves paying this much to an agency for a nursing shift". | Tory health spokesman Donald Cameron said it was "staggering that hard-pressed health boards could find themselves paying this much to an agency for a nursing shift". |
He added: "Not only is it an astonishing waste of taxpayers' money, but it's a slap in the face to staff nurses who can only dream of such remuneration. | He added: "Not only is it an astonishing waste of taxpayers' money, but it's a slap in the face to staff nurses who can only dream of such remuneration. |
"Bank and agency nurses play an important role when it comes to helping plug gaps in the NHS. | "Bank and agency nurses play an important role when it comes to helping plug gaps in the NHS. |
"But demands of more than £1,500 for a single shift are an abuse, and one health boards should not bow to. | "But demands of more than £1,500 for a single shift are an abuse, and one health boards should not bow to. |
"The SNP's woeful lack of workforce planning and failure to train enough nurses has created a situation where hospitals are too dependent on bank and agency staff. | "The SNP's woeful lack of workforce planning and failure to train enough nurses has created a situation where hospitals are too dependent on bank and agency staff. |
"The result of that is health boards paying through the nose, when an adequately resourced rota could have done the job at a fraction of the price. | "The result of that is health boards paying through the nose, when an adequately resourced rota could have done the job at a fraction of the price. |
"Following these revelations, ministers should examine these instances of extremely high payments to agencies, and act to ensure they don't occur again." | "Following these revelations, ministers should examine these instances of extremely high payments to agencies, and act to ensure they don't occur again." |
'Drive down cost' | 'Drive down cost' |
Shona Robison said bank and agency staff allowed heath boards to cope with peaks in demand. | Shona Robison said bank and agency staff allowed heath boards to cope with peaks in demand. |
She added: "Boards only use bank and agency staff when they have to and the vast majority are the board's own nursing staff. | |
"Agency staff make up only 0.4% of overall staffing numbers and the amount of money spent on agency nurses and midwives is 11.3% lower today than it was a decade ago. | "Agency staff make up only 0.4% of overall staffing numbers and the amount of money spent on agency nurses and midwives is 11.3% lower today than it was a decade ago. |
"We want to reduce agency use as much as possible and earlier this year we launched a new initiative, in partnership with NHS National Services Scotland, to drive down the cost and use of all temporary agency staff. | "We want to reduce agency use as much as possible and earlier this year we launched a new initiative, in partnership with NHS National Services Scotland, to drive down the cost and use of all temporary agency staff. |
"Around £6bn is spent on the NHS workforce annually. A record number of people now work within the NHS in Scotland, with 99.6% of all care delivered by NHS staff. | "Around £6bn is spent on the NHS workforce annually. A record number of people now work within the NHS in Scotland, with 99.6% of all care delivered by NHS staff. |
"This includes more than 43,100 qualified nurses and midwives, an increase of more than 2,100 since this government took office." | "This includes more than 43,100 qualified nurses and midwives, an increase of more than 2,100 since this government took office." |
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