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The Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the trade body for recruitment industry including specialised healthcare agencies, has issued the following statement in response to information that has been released on agency staff rates in the NHS.

Tom Hadley, the REC's Director of External Relations said: “The NHS requires a flexible modern workforce to deliver first class care to patients.  As part of this, there is a vital role for agency staff who can be drafted in at the last minute to provide specialist cover, and for the recruitment agencies that provide a 24 hour service to ensure that patients receive care around the clock.

“From time to time, a highly skilled professional will be called out at very short notice to provide essential care for a patient and may command a high hourly rate.  However, it is misleading to suggest that agency staff routinely receive huge hourly pay rates to cover shifts. The reality is that the NHS tightly controls agency staff spend through its procurement procedures.

“In addition, it is important to note that the rates quoted will include the agency worker’s wages, holiday pay and national insurance contributions as well as a fee to the agency for the service they provide.”