Locum doctors cost spikes by £2.3m

In 2007/8 the Trust spent 4.7m on locum doctors. This rose to 5.2m in 2008/9 and further to 7m in 2009/10.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey outlined the cost of hiring stop-gap doctors here in response to a query from SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie at the Stormont Assembly.

He explained: "Locum doctors are professionally-qualified, medical practitioners used in each Health and Social Care Trust on a temporary basis to ensure continuity of care for the patient."

The Royal College of Surgeons recently blamed new EU rules for sparking an increased reliance on temporary doctors.

The body stated: "The staggering increases come as Trusts try to plug hospital rota gaps created by the introduction of the European Working Time Regulations (EWTR) which only allows doctors to work a maximum 48 hour week.

"The RCS estimates that, since introducing the 48 hour working limits in UK hospitals, the NHS loses more than 400,000 hours of surgical time a month while still managing the same workload."

Meanwhile, the Minister also revealed that permanent doctors and consultants contracted to work 40 hours or more for the Health and Social Care Trusts are entitled to work privately outside those hours.

The Minister said: "All medical practitioners and consultants are permitted to work privately under the terms and conditions of nationally agreed employment contracts.

"Full time doctors and consultants are contracted to work 40 hours, or more, each week for the HSC. Thereafter they may undertake private work for other organisations provided that it does not result in detriment to HSC patients or services, or diminish the public resources that are available for the HSC."