Public sector sick cover costing you £317million

TAXPAYERS have been forced to foot a £317million bill for temporary and agency workers in the public sector as sickness rates rocket.

The Scottish Government, its executive agencies, quangos and NHS boards spent the huge amount on ‘non-permanent’ staff last year – a 41 per cent increase on the £224million that was spent a year earlier.

Separate figures also show record use of workers such as consultants, contractors and agency staff to carry out day-to-day tasks.

One factor blamed for the increase is the soaring number of sick days taken by permanent staff.

The figures led to calls for the Government to manage its workforce more effectively in order to reduce costs.

Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘An organisation the size of the Scottish Government will always require temporary and contract staff.

‘However, the fact the use of these workers is on the rise under the SNP is a cause for concern.

‘The SNP likes to pretend in public that it opposes temporary contracts and is responsible with taxpayers’ cash. But in reality the opposite is happening.’

Figures contained within the Government’s annual consolidated accounts show that the total cost of non-permanent staff, including agency workers, temporary contract staff and those on secondments, amounted to £317million in 2018-19, compared to £224million a year earlier.

Separate Government workforce statistics indicate that the total number of ‘contingent workers’ increased from 900 in September 2016 to 1,027 in September 2017, 1,300 in September 2018 and 1,335 in September 2019.

The 2019 figures include a record 70 consultants, 587 contractors and 200 temporary agency workers.

The data also reveals that sickness absence among Government staff soared from 3 per cent of all working days in 2012 to 3.5 per cent last year.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Many people will rightly be furious about this massive rise in costs.

‘The Scottish Government has to ensure money is being spent wisely and that taxpayers are getting the best value possible.

‘With the tax burden at a 50-year high, politicians must do more to eradicate wasteful spending.’

Temporary and agency staff often cost significantly more per hour or day than ordinary employees.

Last year, it emerged that one health board paid a single locum doctor between £500,000 and £550,000 a year – five times the normal consultant salary.

The locum consultant was continuously employed since 2016, at NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said it employed temporary staff ‘to give the organisation flexibility to meet immediate business needs and make the most efficient use of resources’, adding: ‘It is common business practice across the public and private sectors.’

‘Wasteful spending’