Scottish Labour Debate: Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis

Jackie Baillie S6M-17869 That the Parliament recognises the scale of the crisis in Scotland’s NHS, with almost one in six people in Scotland on NHS waiting lists for tests or treatment, and private hospital admissions in Scotland reaching record levels in 2024, all while patients struggle to access a GP appointment; is concerned, therefore, regarding reports that resident doctors are unable to secure speciality training places in Scotland’s NHS, while newly qualified nurses cannot get jobs despite over 2,600 unfilled whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery vacancies; regrets that inadequate NHS workforce planning by the Scottish National Party administration is forcing highly skilled clinicians to seek employment elsewhere, and calls on the Scottish Government to expedite its reported Future Medical Workforce project, and to report back to the Parliament by 1 September 2025, and undertake a wider review of workforce planning, with independent modelling and projections, and to report back by 1 December 2025, so that there is the required level of workforce to staff Scotland’s NHS. Neil Gray S6M-17869.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “acknowledges the challenges facing the NHS and the critical contribution of its workforce; thanks the dedicated NHS staff for their hard work and professionalism in times of enormous pressure; notes with concern that too many people are waiting too long for treatment and welcomes, therefore, additional funding to reduce patient waits and deliver 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025; acknowledges the challenges in primary care and community health settings, where too many people face difficulties making a GP appointment; recognises the calls for greater workforce planning to account for the changing landscape of delivering healthcare, building on historically high levels of staffing; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop future workforce planning in response to the forthcoming population health and service renewal frameworks; believes that it is important that this work is informed by doctors working in the NHS through the Future Medical Workforce project, which will report on the planned dialogue, alongside an analysis of workforce demand and supply, by the end of 2025, while continuing with implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce over the course of the year, and regrets deeply the UK Labour administration's reckless decision to close the health and care worker visa to adult social care, which will lead to acute workforce challenges and the closure of services, and have a devastating impact on both those receiving care and staff providing care.” Sandesh Gulhane S6M-17869.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), after “vacancies;” insert “acknowledges that Scotland is experiencing a paradox of underemployed GPs who remain unable to find sufficient work despite widespread demand, as well as unemployed paramedics graduating from universities and paediatric nurses unable to secure roles; highlights that the Scottish National Party administration promised to increase GP numbers by 800 by 2027, but that this target is unlikely to be met as GP numbers are declining and junior doctors are struggling to find jobs; acknowledges that the Royal College of Nursing has claimed that current nursing staffing levels are inadequate, noting that, while the number of nurses employed by NHS Scotland has increased, levels of staff absence and agency use remain unsustainably high; references the report, The Nursing Workforce in Scotland 2025, which shows demand outstripping supply, and calls for better data to enable sustainable workforce planning; recognises that the Royal College of General Practitioners has criticised the Scottish Government’s plan to provide 100,000 extra GP appointments, as Scotland’s NHS currently does not have the workforce capacity to deliver this plan;”.