Record number of nursing staff lost, sayTories

FIGURES SHOWING the NHS has suffered record nursing and midwifery departures, have been uncovered by the Scottish Conservatives.

In the nine months to December 2013, there were 2,383 nurses who left the organisation, either through retirement or other reasons.

The Conservatives said if that trend continues, by the end of the financial year in March 3,177 nurses and midwives will have left the NHS in Scotland.

The number is higher than the 3,066 who departed in 2012/13, and the highest since 2008/9 when 3,573 left the organisation.

The figures come from the latest NHS workforce statistics.

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, who have pledged to recruit 1,000 new nurses, Ruth Davidson said: “If the trends we have seen through the first nine months of this year continue, we are in for a record number of nurses and midwives leaving the NHS.

“Wards are already at breaking point, staff are overworked which affects patient care.

“The terrible lack of forward planning by the SNP is damaging our NHS.

“The Scottish Government hasn’t trained enough nurses, and is now staring a retirement boom in the face.

“By expanding the nursing and midwifery workforce by 1,000 the Scottish Conservatives would ensure that we properly plan for the future.”

PA. MSP Ruth Davidson.