Give something back for all your medical training

WHAT is the reason for the increase in spending on agency staff in the NHS?

Is it that there has been a reduction in training places? If so, this can easily be rectified.

Is it that more newly trained staff are immediately going to work for agencies upon qualifying? If this is true then there should be a clause in the training contract making it compulsory to work for the NHS for a specific number of years, similar to dentists who, if I am right, have to work a set number of years for the NHS before rushing off to the private sector. If they get free training, which up till now they have, they should give some time back.

I know one lady who trained as a nurse and then immediately opened a private care home.

How can it be right that an agency nurse can earn in excess of £30,000? How can the agencies afford it – because they charge the trusts such extortionate fees. Blackmail, virtually – pay our grossly excessive charges or do without. Which, of course, they can’t.

If the government and these highly paid managers all got their acts together and started singing from the same hymn sheet instead of always crying the poor tale the money they do have would go a lot further.

They can’t have it both ways, on the one hand moaning about inadequate budgets and on the other failing to put simple measures in place which would save money. Each measure might only save what is just a drop in the ocean, but all added up together would make a significant difference.

For example, there would be no need to employ an expensive bed manager if there were enough beds in the first place.

What about the trusts who refuse to take back equipment such as wheelchairs?

What about the trusts who negotiate their own prices instead of all joining together to use their bulk buying power. Together they should be able to negotiate rock bottom prices.

How can it be right that I can buy paracetamol cheaper at