RCNS warns more nurses needed in Scotland as current register has stagnated
It's claimed the number of nurses has only grown by 0.1% in the last six months.
There are calls for the Scottish Government to prioritise boosting the country's nursing workforce.
The Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCNS) claims the number of nurses in Scotland is stagnating, having only increased by 0.1% in the last six months.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) also released an update emphasising the need for more nurses in Scotland.
The Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce is an expert group set up by the Scottish Government to improve working conditions for nurses and boost workforce numbers.
Colin Poolman, director of the RCNS, urged the Scottish Government to prioritise the taskforce in its upcoming Budget.
He said: "These figures are deeply worrying. The number of nurses available to work in Scotland has stagnated at a time when the pressures on our health and social care system continue to increase.
"Today's NMC report demonstrates why the ministerial-led Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce must deliver.
"Implementing the taskforce's recommendations will take time, money and resources and the Scottish Government must prioritise this work in this week's Budget."
Scottish Government's response
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "We greatly value the vital contribution of our nurses and midwives to Scotland's NHS, which is why we have invested to increase nursing and midwifery staff by 17.5% since September 2006.
"We have also taken action to ensure our nurses have the best reward package in the UK.
"But we know there is more to do and we want to continue to drive progress in our NHS.
"As the First Minster has made clear, the Budget we publish this week will have the NHS at its heart, and is based on listening carefully to the needs of patients and staff."
How about the Scottish Conservatives?
Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for health, Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP, said: "These damning figures prove that the SNP's dire workforce planning and failure to support nurses is driving many away from working in Scotland.
"Nurses have been pushed beyond breaking point because successive SNP health secretaries have failed to invest in frontline care.
"This is leaving our NHS and social care services dangerously understaffed and it is suffering patients who are paying the price for the SNP's inaction.
"We need to urgently see a proper workforce plan from Neil Gray that ensures nursing is seen as an attractive and rewarding career to ensure the eye-watering level of nursing vacancies are reduced as quickly as possible."