§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of agency and bank nurses in(a) Sutton and (b) London in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these costs on the respective primary care trusts. [102249]
§ Mr. HuttonExpenditure on bank nurses is included within national health service nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff. Expenditure on agency nurses is included within non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff.
The following table contains data outlining the expenditure on non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff within the boundary of the London Department of Health and Social Care.
Expenditure on non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, within the London DHSC boundary-2001–02 £ Organisation name Expenditure on non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 9,304,846 Nelson and West Merton PCT 0 Merton Sutton and Wandsworth HA 0 Total 9,304,846 London DHSC total 229,288,793 Source:
1. Annual financial returns of health authorities.
2. Annual financial returns of NHS trusts.
3. Annual financial returns of primary care trusts.
In December an agreement was awarded to 72 agencies for the supply of agency nurses, midwives, health visitors and health care assistants to the acute and primary care sectors of the NHS across London.
This agreement will introduce new quality standards both in terms of the agency workers and also the services to be offered by the agencies. Furthermore it is anticipated that the cost of these agency workers will be reduced by between £9 million and £18 million across London during 2003–04.