Mr. Ted Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service nurses were recruited through private employment agencies in each of the years 1970, 1971 and 1972.
§ Sir K. JosephInformation is not available in the form requested, but on 30th September 1970, 1971 and 1972 there were, in whole-time equivalent terms, respectively 2,705, 2,992 and 3,265 agency nurses and midwives employed in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales.
§ Mrs. Lena Jegerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the difficulties of hospital recruitment of permanent nursing staff in view of the competition from more highly-paid temporary agency staff; how much he estimates to be the expense to the National Health Service of the employment of temporary agency nursing staff: and what action he proposes to take.
§ Sir K. JosephIt is the view of some hospital authorities, particularly in the London area, that the existence of nurses agencies and the alternative terms of service that they offer to nurses make recruitment of permanent nursing staff more difficult. About £6 million was paid by hospital authorities in England and Wales for agency nurses in the year ended 31st March 1973. An overall comparison of the cost to the National Health Service as between agency and directly employed nurses of similar grade is not possible as agencies' charges for the former vary and the latter are paid on a scale and not on a flat rate. But in many cases there is little difference when 69W account is taken of the paid sick leave, holiday and superannuation provisions for directly employed nurses. I expect hospital authorities to keep their use of agency nurses to the minimum necessary to avoid serious adverse effects on services to patients.