Better use of locums ‘could save NHS Scotland £6m a year’

16 Jun 10
NHS Scotland could save £6m a year by making more efficient use of doctors who provide temporary staff cover in hospitals, a watchdog study has found
By David Scott

17 June 2010

NHS Scotland could save £6m a year by making more efficient use of doctors who provide temporary staff cover in hospitals, a watchdog study has found.

Audit Scotland said a 15% saving on the amount of money spent on locum doctors in hospitals could be achieved through better planning and procurement.

Spending on hospital locum doctors has doubled to around £47m a year – 4.3% of overall medical staffing spending – in the past decade but, according to the watchdog, health boards are not always clear about why they are being hired and how long they are using them.

Auditor general Bob Black pointed out that, in recent years, the demand for locums had risen. This was due to workforce issues such as increased difficulty in filling vacancies and the impact of European legislation on working hours.

He added: ‘Health boards need better information about why and when they use locum doctors, the grades and specialities of doctors they are hiring as locums and whether locum doctors are existing employees or from agencies.

‘With better information, boards could improve their workforce planning and use locum doctors more cost-effectively.’

The June 17 report, Using locum doctors in hospitals, also pointed out that the employment of locums presented potential risks to patient safety.

Dr Charles Saunders, deputy chair of BMA Scotland, said the report’s recommendations ‘form a solid foundation for more cost-effective use of locums’.

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