Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 April 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a price cap for fees of agency staff working in the NHS.
A price cap is in place through the national framework contract. On 5 May 2017 a new medical framework will be in place which means that the majority of locums supplied to NHSScotland will receive NHS rates of pay. This is ultimately better value for money than hiring staff from non-framework agencies.
Locally, boards should reduce expenditure on agency staff by improvements to governance arrangements, and by developing Regional Medical Banks to ensure access to internal staff before approaching an agency