Agency nurses in Oxfordshire's major hospitals are costing more than £30,000 a day, despite a drop in staff vacancies.

The number of temporary staff being employed at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Radcliffe Hospital, and at The Horton, Banbury, has reduced since September, because vacancies have decreased. But the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which oversees the four sites, is paying more for agency fees.

Latest figures, in an ORH board report, revealed that one in every 10 of the 2,639 nursing posts was empty in December -- an improvement on September, when there were 293 vacant nurse and midwife positions.

Reflecting the reduction in staff shortages, 277 agency staff were employed in December compared to 318 in September.

Despite fewer agency workers being hired, the pay bill increased from £859,905 to £947,126 during the same period.

ORH finance director Chris Hurst said: "It's all very straightforward really. There's not a perfect match between the cost and usage.

"What we pay for agency staff is determined by the grades of nurses we use. In one month we may use lots of D grades, and then in another month more F grades, and the latter will be more expensive.

"It also depends on when we hire them. For example, at weekends and bank holidays we would pay more."

Mr Hurst said the trust was working hard to reduce agency fees, which had fallen in the past year.

About £9.5m was spent in 2003, compared with £12m during 2002.

He said: "We are doing much better than last year.

"We've had more success retaining staff, recruiting staff and managing the agency staff that we use."