Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 17 November 2021
Standing in the Scottish Parliament, we are fortunate that we get to experience visceral reminders of the rich history of our country. Since the 18th century, Scotland has produced some of the greatest thinkers, writers, scientists and physicians that the world has ever seen—a formidable reputation that defines us to this day.
Such a reputation does not emerge through chance; rather, there is an undeniable relationship between the level of talent that we have and the established focus on education that has shaped the country for hundreds of years. Here in Edinburgh, we have the oldest medical school in the United Kingdom, and in my Glasgow Kelvin constituency, the University of Glasgow’s school of medicine boasts incredible contributions from an impressive history of alumni that dates back to the 17th century.
Medical students face incredible challenges, navigating a notoriously competitive field of study while enduring the additional pressures of the pandemic, so I thank the students who volunteered to help the NHS during this time of crisis. There are now more than 21,500 extra NHS staff since the SNP Government came to office, including more doctors, qualified nurses and midwives, and the number of GPs working in Scotland has increased by nearly 12 per cent since 2006. It is our duty to ensure that those numbers continue to rise and that our NHS workforce is as strong as possible.
Remaining mindful of that goal, I am delighted that the number of medical places in Scottish universities has increased in recent years. The University of Glasgow has spoken positively about the upward trend in Scottish medical students, which was achieved by converting 100 former home-nations places into Scots places over a several-year glide path, in line with Scottish Government policy.
Our Government has shown that it is committed to improving the lives and working experiences of junior doctors up and down the country. That commitment is evidenced by a willingness to engage with external stakeholders about goals to implement a 48-hour working week, the £32 million pledge that will create additional trainee posts and the further £4 million for NHS staff support and wellbeing. Only by investing in the mental and physical health of our workers can we expect to retain our new recruits, build long-term resilience and maintain high standards of care across the NHS.
There is no question but that recent disruptions have created ineluctable vacancies and gaps in the current system.