RCP president Professor Jane Dacre today welcomed the government's financial controls to limit the spend on agency staff but stressed that checking that locums were fully qualified and high quality was more important. She said:
While I welcome the move towards limiting the amount the already cash-strapped NHS is spending on locum agencies, it is the quality of healthcare for the patient that is paramount. For permanent posts, the RCP provides a physician for the interview panel to ensure high quality candidates are appointed, but this doesn't happen in locum roles. Employing more permanent staff will improve the quality of care overall.
For more information, please contact Morgan Evans, RCP communications and new media adviser, on 020 3075 1468 / 0779 508 8253, or email Morgan.Evans@rcplondon.ac.uk