Temporary staff bill at hospitals nears £100m

Hospital trusts in the Midlands have spent almost £100 million on temporary workers in the past three years, it can be revealed today.

The biggest spender by far was Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Russells Hall Hospital.

It spent more than £44m between 2008 and 2011 on temporary staff. This was more than £25m more than second-placed Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which invested almost £20m.

More than £12m was spent in Walsall and more than £11m in both Wolverhampton and Staffordshire.

Dudley spent £44,880,211 on temporary workers despite needing to make savings of £30m by March 2014, including £12m in the next financial year.

The trust has said it will save by looking for cheaper deals when renewing contracts for equipment and clinical supplies.

But chief executive Paula Clark defended the spending.

She said: "Ensuring our patients receive the best possible care from highly-skilled staff is a top priority.

"This means that sometimes we need to utilise agency and locum staff to cover annual leave, maternity leave and sickness, as well as filling short-term vacancies."

Sandwell, which delivered a £20m cost improvement programme earlier this year and earmarked 340 jobs to go, spent £19,744,502 on temporary workers in the past three years. A spokesman at the trust said: "We review our temporary staffing spend on a monthly basis and we are looking at ways we can reduce the amount we spend."

In Walsall, Sue Wakeman, the trust's director of human resources, said: "It is extremely important that we continue to use agency staff for the purpose of last-minute shift cover, and to ensure the patient care is not compromised.

"We will be continuing to work hard to reduce the money we spend."

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive David Loughton said the trust had some 4,400 permanent staff.

He added: "Our priority is to provide high quality care and treatment. Occasionally when the trust is unable to fill vacancies, it is necessary to use temporary staff."

Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust spent £11,351,433 on temporary workers.