Scots NHS missing ‘a hospital’ of consultants
● BMA Scotland claims posts being filled by locums
Consultant vacancies in NHS Scotland are more than double the number listed in official figures.
In an indication of the health staffing crisis, BMA Scotland has revealed the actual vacancy rate is 13.9 per cent compared with the already high 6.8 per cent figure reported by the Scottish Government.
The scale of unfilled posts amounts to enough doctors to staff a large hospital.
The doctors’ union is warning the real scale of consultant vacancies in NHS Scotland is more than double the number listed in official figures and includes enough doctors to staff a large hospital.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by BMA Scotland has revealed the actual vacancy rate is 13.9 per cent compared to the 6.8 per cent figure reported by the information services division (ISD), which is used by the Scottish Government.
The 30 September census found 5,357.5 whole-time equivalent (WTE) medical and dental consultants in post, up 3.2 per cent on the previous year. Vacancy rates for these positions fell by 8.7 per cent to 393.1 (6.8 per cent) – the lowest level since December 2016.
More than two thirds (65 per cent) had been lying empty for six months or more.
However, BMA Scotland argues the true vacancy rate is likely to be higher as the method of counting excludes what it believes to be around 375 vacancies.
The number of “hidden” consultant vacancies was last night described as “staggering” by Scottish Lib Dems health spokesperson Alex Cole-hamilton.
The release came on a day when figures revealed the number of GPS in training sunk to a five-year low.
More than 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts remain unfilled, with the number of vacancies lying empty for three or more months topping the 1,000 mark.
The BMA says many boards are no longer trying to actively
recruit to more than a fifth of the vacant consultant posts, which are “likely to be hardto-fill posts where attempts to recruit have not been successful”.
These unfilled vacancies can be removed temporarily from the overall figure along with posts not yet cleared for advertising, which are also excluded.
The doctors’ union also highlighted the problem of locums being used to fill posts, with nearly 40 per cent of vacancies being covered in this way.
“Another concern is the rising number of posts in the official figures which are vacant for six months or more, which is up by 1.7 per cent on the same time last year – again demonstrating posts are hard
to fill. Four years ago the BMA conducted similar research, which also reflected concern vacancy rates were being underestimated and offered to work with the government
to allow a more complete picture of consultant vacancies to be compiled.
Dr Simon Barker, the chair of BMA Scotland’s consultant committee, said: “Our members often tell us the published consultant vacancy figures don’t reflect the reality of the huge challenges of working on the frontline of Scotland’s NHS.
“This analysis shows that by not including certain categories of vacancy, the official statistics simply don’t provide the full picture of the scale of consultant vacancies in our NHS.
“For example, vacant posts that go unfilled are then removed from official figures.
“Our FOI data suggests when these are added back in – and few would argue that these
aren’t real vacancies – the actual vacancy rate is substantially higher than boards report.”
Overall, 162,945 staff were directly employed by NHS Scotland last year, up 0.2 per cent from the previous year, a rise for the seventh year in a row, but a slowdown in the growth rate.
Health secretary Jeane Freeman said the number of consultants, medical and dental staff was at a “record high” and around 2,600 nursing and midwifery training places would be created by 2021.
She said: “The vacancy rates for consultants, nursing and midwifery and allied health professionals have all reduced over the last quarter.”
“Our members often tell us the published consultant vacancy figures don’t reflect the reality of… working on the frontline of Scotland’s NHS” DR SIMON BARKER BMA Scotland