Millions of NHS working hours lost due to staff mental health issues
Over 74,000 staff members have missed work in the last five years
Last updated 14th May 2023
Figures show more than 1.5 million working hours have been lost in Scotland’s NHS in the last five years due to staff taking time off because of mental illness.
A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives show more than 74,000 NHS staff across the country have missed work due to anxiety, stress, depression or other mental illnesses since 2018.
The figures represent around 46% of the NHS's 160,000 strong workforce in Scotland, with NHS Tayside and NHS Forth Valley failing to provide the information requested.
During a recent roundtable event with NHS nurses, one said she hoped to be in a car accident to avoid work and another said she was no longer proud of the work she did.
One member of staff in NHS Borders also worked a 19.5 hour shift, figures showed.
Shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane described the data as "deeply concerning" and due to a lack of support and workforce planning by the Scottish Government.
He said: "My dedicated colleagues on the frontline are beyond breaking point and for many this has clearly taken an awful toll on their mental health.
"These findings fully expose how overwhelmed so many of them have become on the SNP's watch due to the shortage of frontline staff which is the product of dire workforce planning by successive health secretaries.
"The new SNP health secretary - Michael Matheson - has to use these figures as an urgent wake-up call.
“He should start by ripping up Humza Yousaf's NHS Recovery plan which has totally failed to remobilise our NHS.
"He should follow the example of the Scottish Conservatives who have outlined a clear vision for the future of the NHS as a modern, efficient and local service to support suffering patients and dedicated staff."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We are immensely grateful for the incredible efforts of all of our NHS and Social Care staff as we continue to recover from the pandemic.
"Our health care system continues to be under substantial pressure and we are working with health boards to provide long-term sustainable support.
"The nursing and midwifery taskforce, which met for the first time last week, will also look to explore and develop proposals on a range of initiatives, including staff wellbeing."