Doctors call for support to halt staff exodus
Doctors need more support if the exodus of staff is to be halted, the head of the British Medical Association in Scotland has warned.
Dr Lewis Morrison made the plea to the Scottish Government ahead of the BMA conference in Glasgow.
The chairman, an NHS Lothian consultant, raised concerns about staffing levels, with the health service currently looking for 508 consultants.
He said 226 junior doctors had left NHS Scotland before completing their second year of work in the past five years.
Last week, The Sunday Post revealed how the NHS will lose more than 500 doctors this year as they move to jobs abroad.
Dr Morrison said: “We simply do not have enough staff – the number of consultant vacancies earlier this month only served to highlight that problem.
“And the fact that we are losing 45 junior doctors every year before they even finish their training is a further worrying issue. More effort must be made by the Government and employers to ensure that doctors feel supported and valued from the minute they step through hospital doors for the first time.
“Otherwise, how can they expect to retain staff?
“The Government and NHS boards need to get real about how staff at all levels are being treated, and the BMA stands ready to help with that process.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We are committed to improving the working lives of our staff by taking action on issues like pay, terms and conditions.”