Calls for more support to address high rate of consultant vacancies

The head of the British Medical Association in Scotland has called for more support to help retain NHS Scotland doctors amid staff shortages.

Dr Lewis Morrison made the plea to the Scottish Government ahead of the BMA conference in Glasgow.

The chairman, a consultant at NHS Lothian, raised concerns about staffing levels, with the health service looking for 508 consultants.

Dr Morisson said 226 junior doctors had left NHS Scotland before completing their second year of work after graduation in the past five years.

“We simply do not have enough staff – the number of consultant vacancies earlier this month only served to highlight that problem – and the fact we are losing 45 junior doctors every year before they even finish their training is a further worrying issue,” he said.

“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,” added Dr Morrison. 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 that process.”

He added: “Our workforce is stretched to its very limit.

“The truth is simple: doctors are a precious resource who need supported at every single stage of their career,” he said.

“Scotland’s NHS cannot afford to keep losing new doctors every year.

“We need serious steps to improve the working lives of junior doctors and make their training the best possible experience it can be.”