Agency Staff

HC Deb 20 November 2003 vol 413 cc1356-7W

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of(a) agency nurses and (b) agency doctors has been to the NHS in London in each year since 1997. [133749]

Mr. Hutton

The table shows expenditure for the six financial years, 1997–98 to 2002–03, on agency nurses¹ and agency doctors² for the health authorities, national health service trusts and primary care trusts within the London region.

The NHS is now treating more patients then ever before and this increase in activity is reflected in greater spending on agency staff in the NHS.

Expenditure on agency nurses1 and agency doctors2 in London, 1997–98 to 2002–03
£
	Agency nurses1 expenditure	Agency doctors2 expenditure
1997–98	111,628,043	22,363,331
1998–99	130,573,228	22,900,245
1999–2000	180,665,901	22,902,621
2000–01	202,308,850	32,234,187
2001–02	229,288,793	46,761,800
2002–03	220,780,586	66,811,064
1'Agency nurses'—non NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff.
2'Agency doctors'—non NHS medical staff.

Note:

2002–03 data are provisional.

Sources:

1. Annual Financial Returns of Health Authorities—1997–98 to 2001–03.

2. Annual Financial Returns of NHS Trusts—1997–98 to 2002–03.

3. Annual Financial Returns of Primary Care Trusts—2000–01 to 2002–03.