Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2026 [Draft]
Perhaps he should listen.
A recent survey by the Royal College of Nursing found that seven in 10 nurses felt that staffing levels on their last shift were below or well below what was needed. The organisation’s latest report, which was published in May, warned that
“Scotland cannot build the sustainable nursing workforce that it urgently needs by asking staff to continue to work short-staffed and under relentless pressure while feeling demoralised and undervalued.”
The same could be said of the consultants, GPs and resident doctors who are leaving the country because they cannot get specialty training places. That is true for a range of allied health professionals and for social care staff.
The cabinet secretary must urgently implement a 10-year workforce plan that covers everything from training and recruitment to retention and career progression. That workforce plan must be combined with a drive to cut out unnecessary bureaucracy, streamline data and invest in up-to-date equipment—for example, investing in 24/7 thrombectomy services would allow staff to treat more patients more effectively.
In closing, I offer a plea to the cabinet secretary: change the culture of the SNP Government; be open, be transparent, admit mistakes and just occasionally listen to the Opposition, who have the shared interests of the NHS and social care at heart; and above all, listen to the staff. We have the best staff in the world—if only they could get on with the jobs that they are trained to do. Their resilience, hard work, motivation and innovation should be an inspiration to us all. I urge the Scottish Government to learn from them and get on with delivering for the Scottish people.
I move amendment S7M-00228.4, to leave out from “recognises” to end and insert:
“thanks hard-working NHS and social care staff across Scotland for their care and dedication; commends them for the progress made in recovering services despite the Scottish Government’s failure to meet its own promises, and believes that protecting and renewing Scotland’s NHS for the next generation requires a proper emergency waiting times plan with funding that follows the patient, embracing new technology to improve productivity and patient experience, prioritising primary care and delivering proper investment in social care, which will not only reduce pressure on acute services but support healthier and happier lives in the community.”
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