Relying on locums “not sustainable” for the future, MP says

Liaison Workforce

NHS trusts and health boards relying on locums is “not a sustainable model” for the future, an MP said in a debate on A&E departments in the House of Commons on Monday 23^rd March 2020.

Whilst much of the debate focused on the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on A&E departments, Chris Bryant MP (Labour, Rhondda), who tabled the debate, said:

“What is essential to running a good accident and emergency department is, first, good, strong leadership. That means consultants who are well trained, and not just relying on locums who are on a part-time contract…

“The truth of the matter is that we have a great number of shortages in our A&Es across the country. In terms of consultants, we are somewhere between 1,200 and 1,500 consultants short across the whole of the UK. There is a particular shortage at my local hospital, the Royal Glamorgan, which is why it has had to rely substantially on locums for the last year. That is not a sustainable model for the future, which is why I am determined to make sure that the local health board campaigns to recruit more consultants for local hospitals.”

Liaison Workforce partners over 60 NHS trusts and health boards throughout the UK to help transform their temporary and substantive workforces; helping them to reduce temporary staffing costs, develop stronger staff banks and collaborate with fellow organisations through managed programmes designed for and with the NHS.

Judith Shaw, Managing Director of Liaison Workforce, says: “We can get trust and health board collaborative banks running on our TempRE technology, supporting an effective, sustainable solution to Mr Bryant’s observation regarding consultant shortages within A&E departments and the general shortage of doctors and nurses in the current unprecedented situation. We will continue partnering with trusts and health boards in working towards overcoming this issue now and in the future.”

For further information regarding our workforce transformation programmes, please get in touch at info@liaisongroup.com