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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

John Pugh

Main Page: John Pugh (Liberal Democrat - Southport)

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Child Refugee Resettlement
Tuesday 10th May 2016

(8 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Pugh Portrait John Pugh (Southport) (LD)
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5. What plans he has to reduce agency staffing expenditure in the NHS.

Jeremy Hunt Portrait The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Jeremy Hunt)
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We have taken tough measures to control unsustainable spending on agency staff, which cost the NHS more than £3 billion last year. Overall agency spend is now falling and we expect to save the NHS at least £1 billion this year as a result.

John Pugh Portrait John Pugh
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I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. I do not share his optimism. Is not the real problem the shortage of permanent staff and the budgetary constraints on the acute sector? Most of them are now below establishment.

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I think the hon. Gentleman is right that we have historically not trained enough staff to work in the NHS and been over-optimistic about the staff needs. That is why, in this Parliament, we will be training over 11,000 more doctors as a result of the spending review, and 40,000 more nurses.

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