By Lucy Ashton
SNP incompetence has cost our NHS millions, Scottish Labour has warned as agency spend on junior doctors is revealed.
An Scottish Labour Freedom of Information request has revealed that in the last four years Health Boards have spent more than £31 million on agency F1 and F2 junior doctors.
Health Boards rely on these agency workers to cover shifts and plug the gaps in the workforce – which Labour has attributed to the SNP’s “disastrous” workforce planning.
Junior Doctors are currently voting on the Scottish Government’s latest pay offer – but Labour has warned that a fair pay deal is the “bare minimum” doctors need, as the party demands better workforce planning and action to tackle the wider crisis in our NHS.
Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Dame Jackie Baillie said: “While Junior Doctors were forced to fight tooth and nail for fair pay and conditions, the SNP has been frittering away millions plugging staffing gaps.
“The SNP’s disastrous workforce planning has left NHS staff exhausted and demoralised and left taxpayers with a £31 million bill.
“A fair pay deal is essential, but it is the bare minimum the Scotland’s dedicated NHS workers deserve.
“We need real workforce planning and an end to the crisis wreaking havoc in our hospitals.”
Total agency spend on junior doctors, 2019/20 to 2022/23
| Total
2019/20 to 2022/23 |
||
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | F1 | £ 6,229.00 |
| F2 | £ 1,586,048.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 1,592,277.00 | |
| NHS Borders | F1 | £ – |
| F2 | £ 36,830.78 | |
| TOTAL | £ 36,830.78 | |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | F1 | £ 41,876.00 |
| F2 | £ 15,757.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 57,633.00 | |
| NHS Fife | F1 | £ 220,587.00 |
| F2 | £ 2,980,017.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 3,200,604.00 | |
| NHS Grampian | F1 | £ 570,000.00 |
| F2 | £ 4,800,000.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 5,370,000.00 | |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | F1 | £ 478,870.00 |
| F2 | £ 6,061,509.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 6,540,379.00 | |
| NHS Highland | F1 | £ 45,012.00 |
| F2 | £ 4,917,010.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 4,962,022.00 | |
| NHS Lanarkshire | F1 | £ 58,098.00 |
| F2 | £ 5,484,412.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 5,542,510.00 | |
| NHS Lothian | F1 | £ – |
| F2 | £ 2,897,350.00 | |
| TOTAL | £ 2,897,350.00 | |
| NHS Shetland | F1 | £ – |
| F2 | £ 53,042.32 | |
| TOTAL | £ 53,042.32 | |
| NHS Tayside | F1 | £ 19,398.78 |
| F2 | £ 574,821.09 | |
| TOTAL | £ 594,219.87 | |
| NHS Western Isles | TOTAL | £ 205,951.75 |
| GRAND TOTAL | £ 31,052,819.72 | |