The Scottish National Party (SNP) faces calls for immediate action to bolster NHS recruitment, amid revelations of excessive expenditure on temporary medical staff totalling over £900 million since 2019.
Information obtained via Freedom of Information requests by Scottish Labour highlighted that health boards in Scotland spent approximately £521 million on agency nurses and £400 million on locum consultant doctors over the past six years, with data only recorded up to September 2024.
The figures, which are expected to rise post-winter due to additional pressures, underscore significant financial outlays at regional levels. For instance, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde disbursed over £103 million on agency nurses, while NHS Grampian allocated nearly £55 million for the same.
In just the first half of this fiscal year, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Highland, and NHS Lanarkshire each reported expenditures exceeding £4 million on locum consultants.
Notably, NHS Shetland did not provide specific data, citing that such figures are encapsulated within annual accounts without detailed segmentation.
Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour’s Health Spokesperson, criticised the SNP for draining resources due to unaddressed staffing issues, stating, “These figures demonstrate the enormous strain and financial drain inflicted on the NHS by the SNP’s inability to efficiently recruit and maintain essential frontline personnel.
After nearly two decades of SNP governance, the staff morale is at an all-time low, with ongoing vacancies leading to substantial fiscal losses.”
She further pledged that Scottish Labour would implement a robust 10-year workforce strategy, aiming to cultivate homegrown medical and nursing talent, enhance staff appreciation, and adequately prepare for the healthcare needs of future Scottish populations.
In defence, the Scottish Government acknowledged the necessity of temporary roles within NHS Scotland but expressed a commitment to reducing dependency on such positions.
In the fiscal year 2023-24, permanent and bank staff comprised 96% of total nursing staffing costs.
A government spokesperson explained, “With NHS Scotland’s staffing expenditure exceeding £10 billion annually, the fraction spent on agency nursing is relatively minor.”
“However, the imperative remains to achieve optimal value in our service delivery, thereby enhancing the quality and accessibility of patient care. We are actively exploring strategies to diminish our reliance on agency staff in collaboration with NHS Scotland colleagues.”
