NHS management needs to turn to IT contractors and other temporary staff to deal with "unmanageable" workloads, according to a leading recruitment group.

According to a recent survey from the Care Quality Commission, 45 per cent of NHS employees believe there is not enough staff for them to do their jobs properly.

The survey also found that 44 per cent of staff felt their employer was not doing enough to help them balance their work and home lives.

Reacting to this survey, Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said that unmanageable workloads lead to stress and higher absence rates, which cause further resourcing problems.

"NHS Trusts need to urgently review the allocation of staff and call on extra resource from agency and locum staff to fill gaps where necessary and ensure front line care needs are met," Mr Hadley said.

He concludes that the survey further highlights the need for a more strategic approach to public sector resourcing.

The REC launched its Make It Work campaign in February, designed to encourage a more flexible approach to public sector working.