Ailing NHS on ‘life support’ as nurse vacancies soar to 3,200

VACANCIES for doctors and nurses in Scotland’s NHS have hit record highs – prompting claims it is on ‘life support’.

There is a shortfall of more than 470 consultants and over 3,200 nurses and midwives north of the Border, figures reveal.

Consultant vacancies stood at 8.5 per cent in June, up from 7.5 per cent in the same month of last year.

There has also been a 40 per cent rise in consultant posts vacant for more than six months – up to 229.

Nursing vacancies have increased, too – 5.2 per cent in June, compared with 4.2 per cent in the same period in 2016. A total of 953 nursing posts have been empty for three months or more, an increase of 354 over the past year.

Critics say vacancy rates are now at a record high, leading to poorer standards of care and ‘miserable’ working lives for NHS staff.

The figures – published by the NHS’s Information and Statistics Division (ISD) – also show that in July, more than 400 operations were cancelled due

‘Miserable existence’

to capacity issues, with 40,000 ‘bed days’ lost to bed-blocking.

The Royal College of Nursing’s associate director, Norman Provan, said: ‘We are seeing record numbers of vacancies across the NHS in Scotland.

‘This is further indication that the Scottish Government and health boards have failed to future-proof the workforce.

‘Faced with gaps in their teams, nursing staff are working under enormous pressure and constantly being asked to do more with less.’

Simon Barker, chairman of the British Medical Association’s Scottish Consultants Committee, said: ‘These figures highlight the Scottish Government’s refusal to recognise the year on year deterioration in consultant recruitment and retention. Every unfilled post adds to the stresses and strains of those already working tirelessly.’

Consultant and nurse vacancy rates are the highest ISD has recorded since 2007, when its current records begin.

The highest nursing vacancy rate until now was 4.5 per cent in March, while the highest consultant vacancy rate was 8.3 per cent in June 2015.

Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: ‘This is the SNP’s NHS day of shame. After a decade of SNP mismanagement our health service has been left on life support.’

Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘The consequence of [so many vacancies] is a huge reduction in the standard of care offered to patients and a miserable existence for staff left over to pick up the slack.’

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘Under this Government, there are now over 11,800 more whole-time equivalent staff working in our NHS, with more consultants, nurses and midwives delivering care.

‘We’re committed to record investment in our health service... Our national health and social care workforce plan will strengthen and harmonise workforce planning, better accounting for future demand and identifying gaps in supply.

‘Through this, we will deliver 2,600 additional nursing and midwifery training places by the end of this parliament.’