'Stretched' NHS spending £250m on locum workers, Ruth Davidson claims
The health service is spending almost £250 million on locum doctors and nurses because staffing is "so stretched", Tory leader Ruth Davidson has said.
The health service is spending almost £250 million on locum doctors and nurses because staffing is "so stretched", Tory leader Ruth Davidson has said.
The Conservative MSP blasted the "rocketing" bill for agency staff, which she said had risen by £41 million on the previous year.
She said: "That's all because our hospitals don't have the staff needed to cover the rotas."
The Conservative Party contacted health boards across the country to find out how much they are spending on locum cover for medical and nursing staff.
The Tory leader pressed Nicola Sturgeon on the issue at First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, telling her: "We see an NHS which has become so stretched that we are shelling out a quarter of a billion pounds a year on costly locum cover.
"The First Minister is on the slide because instead of rolling up her sleeves she is tearing up her promise not to hold a second referendum."
Ms Sturgeon insisted there has been a reduction of over 60% in agency staff working in the NHS since the SNP came to power in 2007.
She added: "The reason Ruth Davidson wants to talk about independence is as a smokescreen for the almighty mess her party has created over the European Union."
With junior doctors in England taking industrial action, the SNP leader added: "Patients would probably prefer this government to continue to build on the success of our health service than have the Tory government in London, who of course have managed to force junior doctors out on strike."
Ms Davidson pressed the First Minister on NHS staffing after warnings from doctors the service will "face pockets of meltdown this winter".
She also demanded Ms Sturgeon take "personal responsibility" for the impact of decisions she made during her time as health secretary.
Ms Davidson told MSPs: "The First Minister won't admit it, but this in is part due to the failure by this SNP government to manage the NHS properly.
"Four years ago, as health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon cut training places for nurses and midwives. At the time she called it 'a sensible way forward'."
She called on Ms Sturgeon to "accept personal responsibility for the problems that her decisions have created"
The SNP leader responded: "The number of qualified nurses and midwives working in our NHS today is up by more than 5% since this government took office.
"Yes, I am happy to accept personal responsibility for that increase in the number of nurses working in our National Health Service."
The First Minister accepted health boards "make use of agency staff where that is required to deliver high-quality care for patients" but said ministers are clear that NHS bosses "should minimise the use of agency staff".
The number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff in the NHS has increased by "more than 11,000" since the SNP came to power, the First Minister said.
She added: "Ruth Davidson mentioned agency nurses. When we took office there were 728 whole-time equivalent agency nurses working in the NHS. In 2015-16 that was down to 276, a reduction of 61.9%."
Ms Sturgeon also told MSPs: "Just for completeness, we're seeing the number of doctors up 25%, the number of emergency medicine consultants up 184%, geriatric medicine consultants up by 38%, paediatric consultants up by 84%. So, there are more people working in our NHS today."
She added: "Yes, there are challenges in our national health service, that is because of the increasing demand coming from an ageing population. That is why we have pledged record funding for our health service."
She also said her government would reform the NHS, saying: "We are transforming primary care, investing more in social care and community care, and expanding elective treatment capacity as well.
"Investment and reform will ensure that we will continue to deliver good results in our health service and continue to see good patient satisfaction as well."