DOCTORS say the Scottish Government must act now to address staffing problems in the NHS after figures showed 377 consultant posts are lying vacant – with almost half these posts empty for at least six months.
The British Medical Association (BMA) called on ministers “to find a way to attract more doctors to work in Scotland and to fill vacant posts to ensure that the NHS continues to deliver a high-quality and sustainable health service”.
Medical leaders issued the plea despite official figures showing a record number of staff working in the health service in Scotland. At the end of December 2016, the equivalent of 139,262 full-time workers were employed by the NHS, an increase of 0.7 per cent on the previous year and 9.6 per cent higher than the total a decade ago.
Simon Barker, chairman of BMA Scotland’s consultant committee, said: “It is not enough for the Scottish Government to create extra consultant posts, they must be filled too. With vacancies increasing and demand rising faster than we are able to resource it, more needs to be done to ensure proper workforce planning to address current gaps and plan for future needs.
“The fact that almost half of all medical consultant vacancies have been vacant for more than six months highlights the difficulties that some specialities are experiencing in recruiting and retaining doctors. Despite repeated advertising, these gaps are not being filled and this is causing unrelenting pressure on those doctors currently working in the health service.”
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Under this government, NHS staff numbers have risen to record highs, with more consultants, nurses and midwives now delivering care for the people of Scotland. There are now 12,200 more staff working in our NHS.”
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