Claim Scotland has ‘too few nurses’

A leading nursing organisation has warned Scotland has “too few nurses” as new figures reveal the highest-ever levels of nursing and midwifery vacancies in the country’s NHS.

Health secretary Shona Robison said NHS staff have risen to “historically high levels” under the SNP but the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said nurses were facing the reality of vacancies in the workforce with low morale and recruitment problems.

ISD Scotland figures show as of March 31 the nursing and midwifery vacancy rate was 4.5%, the highest ever reported, and 2,818.9 whole-time equivalent (WTE) posts were empty, a 27.5% increase from March 2016.

The number of such posts vacant for three months or more is up 51.3% year on year to 670.6.

In the same period, the NHS spent £8.4m more on nursing and midwifery bank and agency staff, paying out £166.5m.

Consultant vacancies have also risen year on year from 6.5% to 7.4% and there are 415.7 vacancies, of which 203.4 have gone unfilled for more than three months, up 38.2 from 2016.

The total number of NHS Scotland staff has risen 0.7% year on year to 139,430 WTE.

RCN associate director Norman Provan said: “Today’s figures reflect the challenge faced by Scotland’s NHS. Across both acute and community settings, there are simply too few nurses.”