§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons NHS Professionals does not use agency staff supplied to it through arrangements with private agencies who have previously registered with NHS Professionals; and what estimate NHS Professionals has made of the number of staff who have been declined in this way. [152991]
§ Mr. HuttonThe NHS Professionals Special Health Authority works in partnership with national health service trusts to provide temporary staffing solutions. In the first instance, NHS Professionals will always 1547W endeavour to provide staff from its own bank. If this is not possible, then vacancies will be passed to agency staff approved by the partner trust.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate NHS Professionals has made of the unit cost of an agency placement. [152993]
§ Mr. HuttonBecause of variations in the method of calculation, the NHS Professionals Special Health Authority is unable to estimate a reliable average unit cost for an agency placement.