NHS bosses have spent £4.3billion in the last five years to plug staff gaps with costly agency nurses.
Despite Tory pledges to cut spending on outside staff, private firms are still making fortunes.
The figure was uncovered by Labour ’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, who said: “Taxpayers are paying the price for the Conservatives’ failure to train enough nurses.”
NHS data shows that in June, there were 46,828 nursing vacancies – the highest number on record. There were 38,814 unfilled posts last June.
Agency nurses cost more because of agency commissions and wages that are around 50% higher. Rachel Harrison, of the GMB union said: “NHS employers must make direct employment the best paid option.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “There are over 29,000 more nurses working in the NHS now compared with September 2019, and NHS spending on agency staff has dropped by a third since 2015/16.
“We have also commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term plan to help recruit and retain more NHS staff.”
