, which he said is in 'nobody's best interests'. Figures show ten trusts paid agency nurses more than £2,000 for a day's work while a third splashed out more than £1,000 for a single shift, it has been revealed. The priciest was £2,549 forked out by one trust. An average nurse employed by the NHS earns £130 a shift. Royal College of Physicians president Dr Sarah Clarke said: 'Staff shortages have meant that we've had to dip into the public spending and pay for agency and locum staff and this of course comes at a significant cost.' MORE : Security guards spat at and nurses who became patients: NHS workers share hospital life at the height of the pandemic MORE : NHS waiting times at all-time high with A&E and cancer patients hit hardest MORE : Map shows which NHS hospitals will be impacted by nurse strikes The Health Secretary has said he is resistant to negotiating on pay, with the union demanding an increase of at least 15% compared with the £1,400 rise awarded earlier this year. Mr Barclay said the pay award 'is){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
The NHS is paying up to £2,500 a shift for agency nurses in a bid to help stop a severe staffing crisis.
Health chiefs paid out £3 billion on supply medics last year, which is a 20 per cent increase, freedom of information acts show.
This means taxpayers picked up the huge bill while the agencies took a cut of the shift pay cash in.
Health trusts are forking out on premium rates to stop a 47,000-strong nursing vacancy crippling the NHS, it has been claimed.