During the panel discussion on how Scotland can achieve a health and care workforce fit for the future, Associate Director Eileen McKenna highlighted the need for a focus on both retaining existing nursing staff and increasing the number of people choosing to study nursing.
The panel also discussed the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, the particular recruitment challenges faced in remote and rural communities and the role of international recruitment.
The discussion came ahead of the First Minister Humza Yousaf’s closing conference address during which he outlined plans for £300 million to be invested in reducing NHS waiting lists over the next three years.
Commenting on the announcement Eileen McKenna said: “To cut NHS waiting lists, the First Minister must first cut the number of nursing vacancies across Scotland’s health and care services. To many experienced nursing staff are leaving, worn down by the years of understaffing and underinvestment. And too few are choosing to study our safety critical profession.
“The Scottish government must deliver on its commitments to reform the Agenda for Change pay system and to ensure the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce delivers a robust and funded action plan to support retention, increase the numbers studying nursing and improve the workplace culture and wellbeing of health and care staff.”
