NHS Bank: Coronavirus

(asked on 2nd June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is collecting information on the number of (a) NHS Trusts that have (i) partially reduced and (ii) reduced to none NHS Bank staff hours and (b) NHS Bank staff who are (A) not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and (B) have had their hours have had their hours (1) partially and (2) completely reduced since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 11th June 2020

Data from NHS Professionals shows that 2,320 fewer bank staff have taken shifts in April and May this year, compared to April and May 2019. However, those who have chosen to work in this period have taken more shifts on average. Many of these bank staff also have a substantive contract and will continue to be working.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have monitored the number of bank shifts at a trust level. In February 2020, 55 trusts reduced the number of bank shifts undertaken; in March this rose to 89 trusts; and in April this fell to 85 trusts. No trusts that recorded using bank shifts in 2019 recorded nil bank shifts during February, March and April 2020.

If these workers are self-employed, they may be able to access the Government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. Some National Health Service trusts are offering these workers alternative flexible working options, including annualised hours contracts. Some staff have also been offered roles with the Track and Trace programme.

Reticulating Splines