Chamber
Plenary, 09 May 2002
09 May 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Nurses
Time will not allow me to take an intervention. I have only one and a half minutes left.
Flexibility is another key issue that has been raised at nursing conventions and elsewhere. Flexibility is about the NHS providing the care that patients want, at the time and in the place that they want it. It also about staff—in this case nurses—being able to find work that they want to do, at the times they want to do it, and in roles that they want and to which they are dedicated. We are committed to driving forward that agenda through training, spreading best practice and ensuring that the partnership information network guidelines on family-friendly working are implemented effectively.
Last but not least, I will address the issue of pay. Many of the hundreds of nurses around Scotland to whom I have listened in the past few months have raised the issue of pay. However, they have also mentioned continuing professional development, working conditions, work load, career structures and flexibility as issues on which they would like to see action. I, too, am concerned about pay. I am pleased that, since 1997, we have made some progress in that area through sustained above-inflation pay awards. However, I want to see further sustained progress on pay.
The agenda for change negotiations are taking forward the issue at United Kingdom level. I believe that most nurses support that. Nurses want progress to be made on pay alongside progress on service development. I agree with them. They certainly do not want the local pay that is supported by the SNP, which would set nurse against nurse and do nothing to solve the problems that we are addressing today. Because I know what the SNP's pay agenda is, I will not support the SNP amendment; nor will I support the Conservative amendment.
I move,
That the Parliament pays tribute to the vital contribution made by all members of health care teams across Scotland but, in this International Nurses' Week, recognises the central role of nurses and midwives in delivering high quality patient care and supports the significant investment and action to recruit, retain and value nurses and midwives being delivered through Facing the Future and other initiatives.
Flexibility is another key issue that has been raised at nursing conventions and elsewhere. Flexibility is about the NHS providing the care that patients want, at the time and in the place that they want it. It also about staff—in this case nurses—being able to find work that they want to do, at the times they want to do it, and in roles that they want and to which they are dedicated. We are committed to driving forward that agenda through training, spreading best practice and ensuring that the partnership information network guidelines on family-friendly working are implemented effectively.
Last but not least, I will address the issue of pay. Many of the hundreds of nurses around Scotland to whom I have listened in the past few months have raised the issue of pay. However, they have also mentioned continuing professional development, working conditions, work load, career structures and flexibility as issues on which they would like to see action. I, too, am concerned about pay. I am pleased that, since 1997, we have made some progress in that area through sustained above-inflation pay awards. However, I want to see further sustained progress on pay.
The agenda for change negotiations are taking forward the issue at United Kingdom level. I believe that most nurses support that. Nurses want progress to be made on pay alongside progress on service development. I agree with them. They certainly do not want the local pay that is supported by the SNP, which would set nurse against nurse and do nothing to solve the problems that we are addressing today. Because I know what the SNP's pay agenda is, I will not support the SNP amendment; nor will I support the Conservative amendment.
I move,
That the Parliament pays tribute to the vital contribution made by all members of health care teams across Scotland but, in this International Nurses' Week, recognises the central role of nurses and midwives in delivering high quality patient care and supports the significant investment and action to recruit, retain and value nurses and midwives being delivered through Facing the Future and other initiatives.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-3078, in the name of Malcolm Chisholm, on action to recruit, retain and value nurses, and two amendments ...
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
The delivery of health services for patients requires a combination of sustained investment and reform—investment in staff, equipment, facilities and new tre...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
Will Malcolm Chisholm give way?
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
In a moment. I need to make more progress first.We want all those who qualify to secure employment within NHS Scotland, if they wish to do so. We have theref...
Tommy Sheridan:
SSP
My question relates specifically to nurses' bursaries. Given his experience of speaking at various conferences, the minister will surely accept that the bigg...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
There will be a further increase in bursaries this year. I am aware of the issue that Tommy Sheridan raises, and I am sure that it will come up at the specia...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister give way?
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Time will not allow me to take an intervention. I have only one and a half minutes left.Flexibility is another key issue that has been raised at nursing conv...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank nurses, midwives and health visitors for the enormous contribution that they make to patient care and the national health service. I also pay tribute...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
Another week, another health debate, and this week another health minister, too. I welcome this debate on recruiting, retaining and valuing nurses, given tha...
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I am pleased to speak in the debate to acknowledge the work that Scotland's nurses do in international nurses week and throughout the year, and to highlight ...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Will Margaret Smith give way?
Mrs Smith:
LD
I will not give way. I have no time. I have only five minutes.
Brian Adam:
SNP
There will be no debate if she does not give way.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
Order.
Mrs Smith:
LD
In areas in which the Scottish Executive has the power to make a positive difference to conditions, it has been listening to the RCN's campaign and has made ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We now come to the open debate. We are obviously tight for time, but I will allow speeches of four minutes with some extra time for interventions.
Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab):
Lab
I agree with other members that it is highly appropriate for us to hold this debate during international nurses week. Since 1997, Labour has delivered 20,000...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Will Sarah Boyack give way?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
No, thank you, Ms Sturgeon. Those concerns are a legacy of what the Tories did to the health service. The recent pronouncements of Liam Fox show the Tories' ...
Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I will take a brief intervention.
Ben Wallace:
Con
How does Ms Boyack reconcile her fine words and the fine words of the Scottish Executive with the fact that the chancellor will take £5.8 million out of the ...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I have not met any nurse who is unhappy about the massive increase that everyone recognises is going into the NHS. We need to talk up the fact that the money...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
Nurses now take on greater roles and greater responsibilities than ever before, but the average age of nurses is increasing. The average age in Scotland is n...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
The contribution that our nurses make to our health care system is phenomenal. They are the backbone of the NHS and without them the NHS would crumble. There...
Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab):
Lab
Jamie McGrigor's contribution—or perhaps what was omitted from it—speaks volumes about the lack of consensus in Scotland on sustained and rising investment i...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Members of all parties have produced statistics on a variety of issues, such as the number of nurses who leave the profession, the number of nursing students...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I will concentrate on two points—job satisfaction and prisons. Three things make a job worth having and attract people to it: pay and conditions; the public ...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I declare an interest as a member of Unison. As a nurse, I am delighted to speak in today's debate. During my years in the health service, I considered mysel...