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<p>We do not currently have clear estimates of the comparative cost of filling National
Health Service vacancies with permanent rather than bank and agency staff. However,
we do recognise that the cost of meeting the current level of staff shortages through
bank and agency is greater than if those vacancies were filled by permanent staff.
This is why we are working hard to boost NHS recruitment and reduce reliance on expensive
agency workers.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has provided a 25% increase in funding
available for training places for doctors and nurses from September 2018. There are
currently over 52,000 nurses in undergraduate training, over 30,000 doctors in undergraduate
training, and over 50,000 doctors in foundation and specialty postgraduate medical
training. The Department is continuing to work closely with universities and stakeholders
to ensure the uptake of additional training places.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working
with NHS Improvement to implement a number of measures to reduce agency expenditure
and ensure that trusts have effective and efficient banks. As a result of this work,
total agency expenditure across NHS trusts in England has fallen from a peak of £3.6
billion in 2015/16 to £2.4 billion in 2017/18 – a £1.2 billion reduction.</p>
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