Nursing agency cost trebles to £34.6m in just seven years

THE cost of agency and bank medical staff in Tayside has rocketed by more than 350% in seven years, according to “shocking” figures on NHS spending.

Workforce statistics published last week confirm annual spending in the region has reached £34.6 million – up from £9.6m in 2014-15.

It is made up of £26.5m used to pay for bank and agency nurses, 96.6% more than the previous year.

A further £8.1m was spent on locum doctors to temporarily fill staff vacancies, a rise of 55.8%.

Bosses at NHS Fife spent £32.9m. It includes £21.4 million on bank and agency nurses – up 74.3% – and an £11.5m bill for locum doctors, a hike 31.7%.

The reliance on agency nurses was a particular issue with costs increasing 320.8% to £7.1m in Fife, and 255.2% to £11.8m in Tayside.

Across Scotland, £423.4m was paid out in the 2021/22 financial year.

Scottish Conservative public health spokeswoman and North East MSP Tess White said the figures were “shocking and shameful”.

“They point to a health service which has been completely mismanaged on the SNP’s watch and, without urgent action, that is only going to get worse,” she said.

“It is simply unsustainable for our health boards to be shelling out millions upon millions on temporary staff at a time when they are already tackling an enormous backlog of patient operations.”

Scottish Labour revealed Fife, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Tayside, and Lothian Health Boards have spent a total of £258.9 million on locum doctors since 2017.

Health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “Under the SNP, the level of vacancies for doctors and consultants is increasing, leaving huge gaps.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Despite the pressures of the pandemic we have already delivered a record number of GPs working in Scotland, with more per head than any other country in the UK, and we’re committed to further increasing the number of GPs in Scotland by 800 by 2027.”

North East MSP Tess White.