Row over cuts as 1,600 nurses training places to be created

TOM GORDON

numbers as she published a plan to strengthen the NHS workforce, with “return to practice” programmes aimed at attracting nursing staff in rural areas, and up to 100 extra medical student places.

Further reports on social care and primary care are due later this year, with a final combined plan in 2018, a year later than originally promised.

Ms Robison said more staff were needed because of rising demand.

She said: “This plan sets out how we recruit, develop and retain the multi-disciplinary and flexible workforce we need to continue to deliver high-quality healthcare for people.”

The expansion of nursing and midwifery training contrasts with cuts seen when Ms Sturgeon was health secretary, when student intake fell from 3060 in 2010/11 to 2430 in 2012/13.

Health Secretary Shona Robison revealed the plans yesterday.

The Royal College of Nursing warned at the time it would lead to a lack of graduates and be “bad for patient care”, but Ms Sturgeon called it a “sensible way forward”.

Ms Sturgeon recently said she had taken the right decision based on the data then available, as many student nurses were struggling to find work.

Labour’s Anas Sarwar said: “This plan is an admission of Nicola Sturgeon’s failure and exposes a decade of SNP mismanagement of our NHS.

“The SNP created a staffing crisis in our NHS, with soaring numbers of unfilled vacancies and services across Scotland facing cuts or closure due to staffing shortages.”

LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton added: “The situation was entirely avoidable.”