Local Liberal Democrats have called for action over figures showing a shocking increase in the cost of hiring temporary doctors by Haringey Health Care NHS Trust.

The figures – supplied in a Parliamentary written answer – show that between 2000 ands 2001 the cost of locum doctors to Haringey Health Care NHS Trust has risen from £68,000 to a staggering £970,000 – the third biggest rise out of several hundred health authorities. Lib Dems says that in agency fees alone the increasing use of temporary staff is costing an estimated £300,000 per year – money that could be spent on embattled health services in the borough.

Lib Dem Deputy Leader, Cllr Ross Laird, comments: “This huge increase in the cost of temporary doctors in Haringey is unacceptable. It is a total waste that such a huge amount of money will go into the pockets of employment agencies.It shows that under Labour, ministers are not recruiting enough doctors, and it is local services such as ours that are having to bear the brunt.

“There will always be a need for locum doctors to fill gaps in the service, but such a huge increase shown that we are now having to rely on them. The Audit Commission has already questioned the value for money of such a system.”

Notes

• On average agencies take a fee of 30% of the total amount charged to the NHS. Therefore, the NHS paid over £40 million nationally to agencies in administrative charges and profit.
• On average, each acute NHS trust is now spending £750,00 on agency doctors, with some acute NHS trusts spending many times more than others. St Mary’s NHS Trust in North West London, for example, spent over £4 million on agency doctors in 2000-01. This is five times the sum the average acute trust spends on agency doctors. South Devon Health Care NHS Trust spending has, over five years, increased seven fold to £1.3 million.
• In 1999, the Audit Commission report Cover Story – The use of Locum Doctors in NHS Trusts cast serious doubts over the efficacy and quality of care provided by agency doctors, suggesting that with proper hospital management many locums would not be needed. The report also suggested that hospitals should try to reduce the need for locums.
• Figures quoted are from a Parliamentary answer given to Sandra Gidley MP (20 Jun 2002: Column: 562W).