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Written question asked by Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 24 March 2025 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Thursday, 27 March 2025. A substantive answer was provided by Karin Smyth (Labour) on Friday, 4 April 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Agency Nurses: Costs

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average cost to the public purse is of one band 5 nursing hour supplied by (a) On-framework staffing agencies and (b) Off-framework staffing agencies to the NHS in each year since 2019.

Answer

The Department does not hold the data requested.

The Government is committed to reducing off-framework agency use, the cost of which is at a premium, above the agreed framework rates. Additionally, staff hired through off-framework agencies are not subject to the same pre-employment checks as those carried out by on-framework agencies. Off-framework use is actively monitored through NHS England’s governance mechanisms, with additional oversight applied to trusts with recurring non-compliance.

The NHS Planning Guidance 2025/26 states that trusts should reduce their agency spend by a minimum of 30%, and the accompanying Revenue Finance and Contracting Guidance sets the ambition that agency spend should be eliminated in the coming years.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
39596
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Costs Agency nurses
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk