§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the expected financial outcome for National Health Service Professionals for 2002–03; and [HL236]
Whether any central money has been made available to National Health Service Professionals during 2002–03; and, if so, how much. [HL237]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathIn 2002–03, NHS Professionals was allocated £2 million to support roll out. The Government are committed to the delivery of NHS Professionals as a long-term investment to achieve a national approach to temporary staffing, raising standards, reducing costs and improving working lives of temporary healthcare professionals across the country.
§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether National Health Service providers are obliged to use the services of National Health Service Professionals if they wish to hire agency nurses. [HL238]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe aim is that NHS Professionals will be used by all National Health Service organisations as the primary supplier of all temporary staffing requirements for the NHS with, as and when necessary, contracts agreed with commercial agencies to meet any surplus demand.
NHS Professionals is a locally delivered service based on national standards to ensure that temporary staff have fair and supportive employment conditions that give staff security and the confidence to build a career in the NHS.