District nurses go top of staffing priority for new social care plans

Project will also bolster training for physios and radiologists

The Scottish Government has revealed a staffing plan for health and social care services, which the health secretary said is the first of its kind in the UK.

Under the plan, which was published on Monday, the Scottish Government will look to recruit another 375 wholetime equivalent (WTE) district nurses by 2024 – with the aim of boosting the number of people receiving care at home so hospital resources are freed up.

There will also be an increase in mental health officers by more than 8% and 60 more training places for clinical psychologists.

The plan was developed in partnership with local authority body Cosla and will include a 5% increase in student nursing places next year.

A new service will also be created, using £600,000 of Scottish Government cash to train radiologists in mechanical thrombectomy – which removes blood clots.

The training service is already being undertaken at NHS Tayside but will be rolled out across the country in the next 12 months.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is the UK’s first integrated health and social care workforce plan and it will be invaluable in helping us to anticipate and respond to the changing and growing demand faced by our health and social care services.

“One key example of this is our commitment to create a national thrombectomy service to treat stroke victims”

A report released alongside the plan pinpointed Brexit as being a continued concern for workforce planning in the NHS, with 7.3% of registered nurses in Scotland being EU nationals.

The health secretary reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to protecting the health service from any detrimental effects brought on by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

She said: “As this plan outlines, the threat of a no-deal Brexit remains, and as a responsible government we will continue to do all we can to protect our health and social care services.”

Alongside the increase in places for nursing staff, another 225 training places for physiotherapists will also be created for staff to work in primary care, along with 120 more pharmacists over the next three years.

“This the UK’s first integrated health and social care workforce plan. HEALTH SECRETARY JEANE FREEMAN