The NHS has been urged to embrace flexible working practices to achieve efficiency savings by Kate Bleasdale, executive vice-chairman of HCL.

Ahead of reforms to the NHS, due to be announced this week, Bleasdale says: “By flexible working, we mean an NHS workforce that makes effective use of locum and agency staff, not just substantive staff employed full time by the NHS.

“Agency staff are a cost effective way of responding to local fluctuations in demand for healthcare. They can be brought in to deal with peaks in demand — during a flu epidemic, for example — and then dispensed with when their services are no longer needed.

“Agency staff do not incur hidden costs such as NHS employers’ pension contribution The current NHS pensions liability stands at almost £300bn and there have been many calls for its reform.

“Any reform that increases the flexibility and responsiveness of the NHS procurement is to be welcomed. Measures that encourage healthy competition from any willing provider and reward successful outcomes are also good. Transforming the way NHS workforce operates is vital to achieving these aims.”