Opposition politicians blast Scottish Government over NHS Lanarkshire agency staff cost

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Opposition politicians have blasted the Scottish Government following the revelations over the spiralling cost of agency staff within NHS Lanarkshire.

The figures, obtained by Lanarkshire Live through a Freedom of Information request, showed that from April last year until February, a whopping £30.44 million was spent by the health board.

That figure would pay for more than 800 nurses being paid the average nurse salary in Scotland of £37,726.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Meghan Gallacher, from the Scottish Conservatives, described the figures as “eye watering”.“While locum doctors and agency staff, of course, have a crucial role to play in the running of our NHS, the SNP’s dire workforce planning has left NHS Lanarkshire with major staffing shortages,” said Ms Gallacher.“The figures expose the effects of dire workforce planning by successive SNP health secretaries and their failure to recruit enough permanent frontline staff.“Health boards like NHS Lanarkshire are already under huge financial pressure without having to find more and more money to pay those who ensure shifts are filled.“We need to urgently see a proper recovery plan from Humza Yousaf to reduce this spending, rather than continuing to rely on his flimsy one which has failed to remobilise our health service.”Labour’s Monica