Secretary of state for health and social care Wes Streeting and NHS England chief executive Sir James Mackey wrote to ICBs and trusts in June, saying they would be taking ‘decisive action' to ensure trusts meet the temporary staffing target set out in the planning guidance. This target was to reduce spending on agency staff by 30% over the next financial year.

However, they added that the aim was to ‘eliminate agency use altogether by the end of this government's term of office'.

The trade body has launched a petition to pressure the government to backtrack on its plans. At the time of writing, the petition has attracted more than 1,700 signatures.

The REC said: ‘Government needs to change course on plans to ban flexible agency workers, including experienced doctors and nurses from being able to work in the NHS. If they do not rethink their plan not only will those wanting to work flexibly be punished, but so will patients who will wait longer for treatment.

 ‘Thousands of flexible agency staff support the NHS to function by filling workforce gaps every day. Ideally, there would be less shortages, but we are a long way from having a workforce that can keep up with patient need. The NHS is in crisis and taking away the right for NHS Trusts to deploy skilled staff is political point scoring gone mad. With no discussion so far with the agency sector on staffing plans we urge the government to engage and to think about the impact of this short-sighted ban.'

In response, a DHSC spokesperson said: ‘Our strict limits on NHS agency spending have already delivered almost £1bn in savings, which is being reinvested back into the frontline, into our workforce and getting patients off waiting lists. Taxpayers deserve the best value out of every pound spent in the NHS. 

‘Our 10-Year Health Plan also prioritises building a workforce that is fit for the future and able to respond to patient need.'