Plan to address triple whammy of threats to staff numbers

NHS Fife is drawing up plans to combat a triple whammy of threats to future staffing levels.

An increasingly elderly population and an ageing workforce, combined with the implications of Brexit, mean there may not be enough doctors and nurses to meet future patient demand unless action is taken.

The same difficulties are being faced by health boards across Scotland, who are also drawing up workforce strategies to ensure the continued delivery of high quality services.

Fife’s population is set to increase by 19,500 in the next 20 years with a higher than average number of people over the age of 75, many of whom will have a range of health conditions.

Meanwhile, more than 40% of NHS Fife’s staff are already aged over 50 meaning a significant portion of the workforce will leave over the next decade.

That, combined with difficulty recruiting in a number of specialities, means the health service must come up with innovative ways of working to ensure demand is met.

Proposals to withstand the problems include more regional working with other health boards with the ability to call on a bank of doctors and nurses.

New roles will be developed and modern apprenticeships set up to attract young workers into the health service.