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Agency nurses: a vital part of front line delivery

In response to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Conservative Party about the cost of agency nurses, Tom Hadley, the REC’s Director of External Relations, comments: "To suggest that agency workers are a drain on resources is wide off the mark.  

“The cost of agency workers is often taken out of context and it is a shame that the massive contribution that flexible and highly skilled workers make to the front line delivery of NHS services is regularly overlooked. Furthermore, the commission charged by agencies is, in reality, extremely tight.   

“It is completely ridiculous to suggest that every agency nurse gets paid £120 per hour. The most recent National Audit Office report concludes that on average, agency nurses were only marginally more expensive than NHS staff and reasons for this can be attributed to training and the use of more specialist skills which you would expect to pay more for.  

“Most large employers, whether private or public sector, need to be able to call on temporary and contract workers at short notice and these workers are only brought in when there is a real need. Hospitals call on agencies to provide crucial cover for their patients at times when they haven’t been able to sort out staffing themselves.  

“In exceptional cases, some temporary workers can indeed earn substantial hourly wages but this often reflects the highly specialised skills they possess. Temps in the NHS work at every level of the organisation - from cleaners to interim managers.  A correctly managed temporary workforce can add much needed flexibility to the NHS. 

"Additionally, temps are vital for responding to short-term demands. Agency staff within the NHS are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”