§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) of 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 699, if he will make a statement on the records maintained by NHS Professionals concerning the identity, history, training and qualifications of its temporary staff. [39782]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 March 2002]: Health Service Circular 2001–02 and the guidance NHS Professionals—"A co-ordinated, NHS-led approach to temporary staffing", sets out national standards for good employment practice. This includes, record keeping and using the best of modern information technology and call centre technology within agreed national frameworks for terms and conditions of service, delivering high quality patient care through clinical governance.
The software used by NHS Professionals captures information on the identity, history, training and development and qualifications of its temporary staff helping to ensure the quality and accuracy of records relating to staff recruited through NHS Professionals.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what training in clinical matters the staff at NHS Professionals call centres have received. [39678]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 March 2002]: All call centre staff receive appropriate training and induction to ensure quality service and clinical governance.
Clinical specialists are used at the recruitment stage to ensure quality of temporary staff used by NHS Professionals.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the pensions costs of NHS professionals staff are charged out to its clients. [39680]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 March 2002]: Pensions costs are included in the management fee added on top of the hourly rate, currently at a maximum of 7.5 per cent.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what margins are added to the costs charged by NHS Professionals to its clients. [39679]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 March 2002]: The management fee aims to recoup operating costs and is currently set at a maximum of 7.5 per cent.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on the set-up costs of NHS Professionals. [39677]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 March 2002]: National Health Service Professionals has been allocated £4 million to support the start up, as outlined in the Health Service Circular 2001–02, with £3 million this financial year to support the schemes extension. The service will be self-sustaining in the long-term and recoup costs directly from the NHS organisations using NHS Professionals.