Bill for A&E locum doctors doubles in just three years

Hospitals in London have doubled spending on locum doctors in A&E in three years, according to figures published today.

They show a £2.2 million rise to £4.2 million at North West London Hospitals NHS Trust.

Expenditure on A&E locums has trebled at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to more than £1 million and at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust to £1.7 million.

For 12 trusts in the capital which replied to a freedom of information request from Labour, the bill went up from £7.8 million in 2009/10 to £15.5 million in 2012/13.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham blamed the Coalition’s NHS reforms carried out “just when senior A&E doctors were warning of a looming recruitment crisis”.

Locum doctors are generally more expensive than permanent staff and there are concerns that quality of care could be lower as they may not be used to working at a particular A&E.

North West London NHS Trust said the shortage of experienced emergency department doctors had in some cases “pushed up the rates of pay that locum agencies are able to charge”.

A St Thomas’ spokesman said: “We work hard to minimise spend on agency staff, whilst ensuring we have the right staff to deliver a safe service at all times.”

Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said the Government was exploring financial incentives and better work-life balance for A&E doctors to make it easier to recruit and retain them.