NHS: Agency Medical Staff

Lord Scriven Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Agency staff can cost the NHS more, which the noble Lord referred to. That is why we now have the agency price cap, which did not exist when agency spending rose completely out of control—for example, it stood at around £3.7 billion in 2015-16, because there were limited national controls. The agency price cap is the maximum amount that an NHS trust would normally pay for an agency worker. I do not quite recognise the situation that the noble Lord referred to on NHS staff, but I will take it away and check the situation.

[Lord Scriven (LD)]

My Lords, while the Minister talks about reduced agency spending, which is welcome, total temporary workforce costs remain largely unchanged, seemingly displacing into bank premiums, overtime and other insourcing. Will the Minister commit to publishing the total combined costs of flexible staffing, so that Parliament can judge whether taxpayers’ money is actually being saved or merely reshuffled within budget lines?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I will certainly take away the points that the noble Lord raised, but I do not recognise his description of reshuffling, not least because the requirements on local health providers to reduce agency expenditure are quite clear. They have to report against them and drive further reductions. Those moneys are directed into front-line care. After all, that is what we all want to see.