Banking and agency nurses cost Western Trust £92 million during covid

It has been revealed the Western Health and Social Services Trust (Western Trust) paid £92m to banking and agency nurses during the pandemic.

Speaking to Derry News, Aontú Derry representative Darryl Christy, said the £92m covered the period form the beginning of restrictions until June 2023.

Mr Christy added: "Since the pandemic when huge pressure was placed on the health service across the North until June of this year, the health service has paid huge sums to bank and agency nurses – £92,146,454 in the Western Trust alone.

"This is a shocking revelation and lays bare the imperative to invest in and retain nursing staff.  The huge number of agency staff being utilised across the HSC is largely due to the level of pay for our staff, and the reality that many of our dedicated staff are being forced to supplement their income with agency hours.

"There has been no increase in pay for nurses, and an unwillingness for extra payments to be approved, leaving staff demoralised with little incentive for retention. 

"What this means for patients is a lack of continuity and increasingly depersonalised care for patients.  Retention of our highly trained nursing staff must be high on the priority list of HSC executives and any future Executive," said Mr Christy.

Darryl Christy added that between March 2020 and June 2023 some Trusts spent more than £20m on agency staff. 

He said: "The Southern Trust spent over £50m between March 2020 and February 2022 on agency staff at the height of the pandemic.

"Aontú will continue to highlight and bring pressure to bear on the running of our public services where deficiencies are clear and improvement is essential.”