I have great concerns over the official statistics published this week by NHS Education Scotland showing 506 nursing and midwifery posts in NHS Fife are currently vacant, accounting for 11% of the nursing and midwifery workforce in Fife.
These startling statistics have led the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to comment, “Nursing staff levels are putting unsustainable pressure on our members and it is clear this is now affecting patient care and the time to act is now.”
These latest figures follow a letter sent to all Fife MSPs from UNISON Fife Health Branch that warned NHS Fife Staff are reporting serious concerns over safe staffing levels to their union.
The letter, which I raised in a debate in the Scottish Parliament, refers to “dangerous staffing levels for both patients and staff”, “staff not receiving proper rest breaks”, “staff not being given opportunities to report serious incidents”, and “serious breaches of health and safety regulations”.
After receiving the letter, I met with officials from UNISON Fife Health Branch and UNISON Scotland to discuss the crisis engulfing the health service and to explore the options to address those concerns.
The level of staff shortages highlights the level of pressure within our hospitals and supports the concerns being expressed by staff to local UNISON officials working in Fife hospitals.
It is clear to most that the impact of staffing shortages on existing staff cannot be allowed to continue.
I have raised these concerns in Parliament and have written to the Health Secretary asking what actions the government are taking and I note the Royal College of Nursing is stating that the time to act is now.
I will continue to push the government to address these issues, as not to do so will only allow things to get much worse.
I am disappointed in the response to date from senior management within NHS Fife who seem to be in denial and I warn them that failure to listen to their own workforce and engage constructively at the local level is not sustainable.
It is of great concern to hear the level of pressure that staff are working under and even more concerning that there does not seem to be a plan in place to reduce that pressure.
I believe that there is a failure to properly workforce plan that must be addressed with all key stakeholders being at the table including the representatives of the current workforce who are on the frontline and struggling to deal with these issues on a daily basis.
The NHS was the greatest social and political creation of the last century and we have a duty to ensure its continuation into this century with the driving principle being health care being available and free at the point of need.
UNISON-Letter-to-MSP
