‘Crisis’ in NHS staffing, says care director

A planned new law to ensure safe staffing levels in the NHS “can’t magically create nurses” in the face of a recruitment crisis, MSPs have heard.

Karen Hedge, national director of Scottish Care which represents independent health and social care providers, said there is a “huge crisis” in staffing, leading to payments of up to £1,200 for a night’s agency nurse cover.

“For nurses in particular the vacancy rate is sitting at 32%,” she told Holyrood’s Health Committee.

“It can’t continue... 19 care homes have closed this year because they can’t recruit nurses.

“We’re really, really struggling to recruit staff.

“Really, really struggling to recruit staff”

“Because of the 32% vacancy rate for nurses you’ll see there’s a growth in agency nurse provision of 18% in the last year.

“Just because there are more nursing agencies doesn’t mean that there are more nurses.

“Actually, what it means is that some of our providers were having to spend up to £1,200 a night to get a nurse.”

She said the Scottish Government’s Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill is likely to see the care sector lose staff due to how it has been drawn up.

The legislation will mean NHS boards and care services are legally required to have appropriate numbers of trained staff in place and is intended to help health and care services in their workload planning.

Ms Hedge said since the bill is in stages, starting with nursing and midwifery workforce, this poses a risk care nursing staff will move to the health sector.

She said: “The bill in itself can’t magically create nurses.”