Hospitals are being forced to fund flights and hotels for agency nurses on £100 an hour amid a growing NHS staffing crisis.
A Sunday Mail investigation has revealed a 2000% increase in private contractors over the last decade – from £3.9 million in 2012 to £88.9 million today.
NHS Scotland is also paying about £102 million a year for agency doctors and dentists – up from £67 million in 2014.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accused Health Secretary Humza Yousaf of “lining the pockets” of millionaire agency owners while failing to pay NHS workers what they deserve.
Nurses are balloting for strike action over pay despite a staffing crisis, which has led to private contractors being flown in from other parts of the UK.
Our probe found:
● English agencies offering flights and accommodation to nurses willing to work in Scotland.
● A Scots agency advertising pay rates of £98.50 an hour.
● NHS workers in Scotland have carried out 11 million hours of overtime during the last five years at a cost of £230 million.
Last week, it emerged a health board paid one agency £1900 to cover a single nursing shift.
Colin Poolman, interim director of RCN Scotland, said: “Vacancies are at record levels with more than 6000 NHS nursing and midwifery posts unfilled.
“It is no surprise that health boards are having to resort to expensive agency nurses to fill the gaps but the level of spend is simply not sustainable.
“Our members find it shocking that the Scottish Government would rather line the pockets of the private sector than ensure nursing staff are paid a fair wage and that nursing staff are having to work additional hours in agency roles to make ends meet.”
Labour MSP Alex Rowley added: “We are paying millions to these agencies while failing to agree a decent pay rise for NHS nurses.”
Job search website Adzuna yesterday claimed the average agency nurse salary in Scotland is £70,101.
An advert from London-based Mayday Healthcare, which promised “accommodation and flights,” said: “We have an urgent requirement in Scotland paying between £30ph and £35ph.”
The Scottish Nursing Guild – another agency – offers £98.50 an hour for bank holiday work.
And Sirona Medical offered pay of £1250–£1750 a week for theatre nurses working 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.
The Scottish Government was contacted.
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