NHS bosses: We just can’t find enough consultants
‘We continue to face serious challenges’ ‘Mockery of SNP claims’
HOSPITAL bosses yesterday warned they ‘can’t attract enough consultants’ to work in NHS Scotland.
Patients were told they will be treated by locums, with hospital managers admitting this is ‘not ideal’ and ‘expensive’.
The problem emerged in the NHS Highland area on the same day figures showed the health service north of the Border has spent almost £600million over five years on private agencies to plug workforce gaps.
The bill for agency doctors, nurses and administrative staff rose from £82million in 2011-12 to £175million in 2015-16. The total paid to private firms over the period was £597million.
The figures were highlighted by Scottish Labour as, separately, NHS Highland admitted it is facing serious challenges recruiting consultants. One post has been vacant for two years.
NHS Highland medical director Dr Rod Harvey said: ‘The fundamental problem is our workforce has changed markedly and we simply can’t attract enough consultants.’
Dr Peter Thorpe, consultant radiologist and clinical lead for Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban, which has three vacancies, said: ‘We continue to face serious challenges in recruiting consultants.
‘These vacant posts are currently being filled by locums, which is obviously not ideal in the long term and also much more expensive.’
Argyll and Bute Nationalist MSP Michael Russell said: ‘There are many possible ways to recruit and develop services in Oban which are being operated in other places. We need to see imagination and determination.’
There has been mounting criticism about the growing use of agencies to cover for staff shortages.
Overall staffing levels across NHS Scotland are at their highest ever level. But there are also rising numbers of vacancies due to difficulties recruiting and retaining staff.
Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon is forking out hundreds of millions of pounds to private companies because of her failure to plan.
‘This makes a mockery of SNP claims to protect our valued NHS.
‘She and her ministers need to get back to the day job of fixing the mess they have made of our health service.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The staffing of remote and rural hospital services remains a priority and we will continue to provide NHS boards with support to ensure all options are considered to provide high quality, safe and sustainable local services.’
Earlier this week, Scottish Labour released figures showing NHS spending on temporary nurses and midwives rose from just under £4million in 2011-12 to more than £24million in 2016-17.
Yet there are no signs the practice of using temporary workers to plug gaps will be reduced.
NHS Scotland recently signed a £400million, five-year deal with agencies to supply locum doctors.
But a Scottish Government spokesman insisted the use of temporary staff in the NHS is ‘low’, adding: ‘The NHS continues to work to reduce the use of agency staff and their cost to the health service.
‘The use of temporary staff allows the NHS to respond to periods of planned and unplanned absence, such as long-term sickness and vacancies, ensuring service continues and patient safety is protected – which is always our foremost priority.
‘We have increased the numbers of nursing and midwifery student places and medical school places over the last four years.’