The NHS in Scotland is stretched pretty much to breaking point and needs more staff in all posts, a leading doctor has warned.
Dr Peter Bennie, chairman of British Medical Association Scotland, said figures claiming doctor numbers are at a record high are not relevant when there are vacancies across the country.
He told BBC Sunday Politics Scotland that consultants, doctors and nurses are having to take on more work “just to keep things running”. Bennie said: “The relevant question is: ‘Do we have enough doctors? Do we have enough nurses? Do we have enough staff outside the health service to provide the care that people need?’. And at present, we don’t.”
He added: “We’re stretched pretty much to breaking point, just trying to keep things going.”
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish Government “recognises change is needed”. She said: “Last month we published the health and social care delivery plan to set out the actions and timescales to support healthcare professionals, charities and patient groups.
“It recognises that we must up the pace of change if we’re to deliver modern, sustainable health services.
“By the end of this parliament, we’ll have increased health funding by almost £2 billion and delivery of the plan will be supported by record levels of investment in our health and care services – with extra resources for the NHS and for social care – plus dedicated funding of over £125 million in the coming year to help deliver change on the ground.
“NHS boards have a statutory duty to undertake workforce planning. There are now 11,500 more staff working in our NHS, with nearly 1,000 of these recruited in the last year. Consultant numbers are also at a record high.
“Since September 2006, NHS Scotland nursing and midwifery staff have increased by 4.2 per cent. We have also increased student nursing and midwifery intakes for the last four years.”
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