§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expenditure incurred by the National Health Service in fees to agencies supplying services of qualified doctors in the first six months of 1971, together with an estimate of the man-hours concerned and the approximate cost to the service for this time if salaried staff were available; and if he will make a statement concerning use of private employment agencies for supplying to the service qualified doctors and nurses.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret the information requested is not available centrally. The appointments procedures for filling medical vacancies normally preclude the use of agencies but some hospital authorities find it advantageous to make use of agencies, as an alternative to advertising, in order to obtain locums; the authorised rates of pay for locums engaged through agencies are the same as those for other hospital doctors. I know of no case during the first six months of 1971 where executive councils, as opposed to doctors
458W21st, 22nd, 23rd. 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th week of pregnancy, respectively, since the Abortion Act came into force.
§ Mr. AlisonThe figures are as follows:
themselves, employed an agency to obtain a locum. Hospital boards have discretion to permit the use of a limited quota of agency nurses in their hospitals, where this is necessary to prevent serious disruption of service to patients.