Andrew Lansley, the new Health Secretary, has announced that family doctors rather than locums will be responsible for out-of-hours care. This comes as part of the plan to make efficiency savings of more than 3% in the NHS.
Tom Hadley from the REC responded to this announcement by stressing that locums and other temporary staff, including those provided via umbrella companies, are crucial to the successful operation of the NHS.
He said that regardless of who holds responsibility for the budget, the key must be to ensure that patients get the correct standard of care. Working time regulations place strict limits on the amount of hours an individual doctor is allowed to work and it is believed that out-of-hours care will be provided on a rota basis.
The REC believes that specialised recruitment agencies will still have a vital and cost effective way of ensuring the right people are in place when needed.
A spokesperson from Bupa Care Services has also urged recruiters to provide value for money.
Lansley is also keen to ensure that overseas doctors have a high standard of English. The REC Medical Group will carry on emphasising the positive way that specialised locum agencies check all skills and credentials, including language skills, before doctors are placed in the field.
A spokesperson from Bupa Care Services has also urged recruiters to provide value for money.
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Image: Day 9 by j.reed
