Local authorities are spending eye-watering sums hiring agency staff when in-house, jointly-shared recruitment may be a more cost-effective answer, writes Andy Mahon

There has been much debate recently on the use of agency staff in the NHS. The story grabs headlines and has risen quickly to the top of the political agenda, prompting health secretary Jeremy Hunt's hasty announcement of a crackdown on the £3.3bn a year that the NHS spends on hiring temporary staff through agencies.