WIREDGOV

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has ordered a clampdown as part of tough new financial controls to cut down on waste in the NHS.  Tackling staffing agencies is part of a package of measures that will help to cut costs while improving frontline care.  This action will help the NHS bring down spiralling agency staff bills, which cost the NHS £3.3bn last year.  This was more than the cost of all that year’s 22m A&E admissions combined.  Other controls include limiting the use of expensive management consultants.  The NHS is paying agencies up to £3,500 per shift for doctors and the total bill for management consultants was more than £600m last year.

New rules will:

• set a maximum hourly rate for agency doctors & nurses
• ban the use of agencies that are not on approved frameworks
• put a cap on total agency staff spending for each NHS trust in financial difficult
• require approval for any consultancy contracts over £50,000

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