Political opinion: Workers Party Representative angry over report that department of health is investigating claims of Agency staff providing false references
Fiona McCarthy who is employed in the health service said this report is not only serious but dangerous.
She said: "We look after people who are at their most vulnerable when ill, and have a duty of care to ensure that staff working in our hospitals and nursing homes have the proper skills. This raises a very key point on safeguarding if Agencies are not carrying out due diligence when sending staff to work in the health sector."
She continued: "Trusts are contracted with agencies instead of employing appropriate levels of staffing. This has led to spending millions of pounds every year and has been criticised."
Ms McCarthy went on to state: "The minster, the department and the scrutiny committees must now move to end the use of agencies to place staff in our hospitals or other facilities.
"Staff should be recruited and employed by the health service. Patients place their trust in those providing medical and other services and the health service must take action now to ensure that trust is not broken.
"Giving false references is a serious issue and agencies who have been involved in this level of negligence must be held accountable if these claims are found to be accurate."