“Figures obtained under Freedom of Information rules have shown that the NHS is spending £3bn a year on agency staff to fill staffing gaps caused by 100,000 unfilled vacancies.
The highest vacancy rate, of 12.2%, was for nurses, leaving hospitals and care homes short on qualified staff and reliant on less experienced healthcare assistants.
Janet Davies from the Royal College of Nursing said: “Hospital wards and care homes alike increasingly rely on unregistered healthcare assistants, especially at night. The Government must no longer allow nursing on the cheap – patients, particularly vulnerable and older individuals, can pay the highest price.”
Source” The Independent, Page: 3 Independent i, Page: 5
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