Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alex Rowley has joined the growing calls for the Scottish Government to bring forward an action plan to address the worrying shortage of nursing staff in the care sector in Scotland.
Two reports published by Scottish Care have highlighted warnings of intolerable nursing shortages. 28% of nursing posts are vacant in the care home sector and an astonishing 98% of organisations are struggling to fill posts.
The reports also highlighted that 58% of the organisations use agency nurses.
Commenting on the reports Mr Rowley said:
“This is a serious situation where care homes are finding it difficult to recruit nurses and vacancies are being left in much needed roles. Having to rely on agency nurses, organisations incur substantially higher costs, and on top of this it reduces the continuity of care.
“I urge the Scottish Government to take note of this, and listen to the calls to bring forward an action plan before this crisis spirals further out of control. We have an ever increasing elderly population and we must ensure that we train enough nurses to support that in future. The level of care we provide in care homes should be of the highest standard, and it is not fair on hard working nurses in the sector to be left to deal with increased workloads due to nursing shortages.
“I echo the calls of the Royal College of Nursing that this situation is now critical and support Scottish Care in their call for action to the Government.”
Ends
