NHS Dumfries and Galloway has spent nearly £80 million on agency staff in the last five years.

And in the current financial year the total to date is nearly £14 million.

According to Labour MSP Colin Smyth the figures show the true cost “of mismanagement” of the health service by the Scottish Government.

A Freedom of Information request by The Standard to the health board asked for the total spent on agency staff for the last five full financial years and the current spend in this financial year.

In 2018 the figure was £14.4m; £15.2m in 2019; £13.9m in 2020 before jumping to £17.9m and £17.7m in 2021 and 2022 as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

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