To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether in line with the Department of Health in England, his Department plans to reduce the number of agency nurses working in the Health Service.

Trust expenditure on agency nurses is incurred to ensure that safe and effective services are sustained and it contributes significantly to maintaining service provision to patients and clients. It is, however, an important policy aim for the health service to endeavour to reduce expenditure across all areas of agency, locum and bank staff.

An additional £12million has been secured to support the implementation of Delivering Care which will result in additional permanent posts within medical and surgical in patient wards. As additional posts are created, a key performance indicator is also being developed to incrementally reduce spend on nursing bank and agency spend as the posts are being filled.