Motion
Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis
S6M-17869 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Baillie, Jackie
Lodged on
09 Jun 2025Heard / answered on
11 Jun 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 11 Jun 2025
That the Parliament recognises the scale of the crisis in Scotland’s NHS, with almost one in six people in Scotland on NHS waiting lists for tests or treatment, and private hospital admissions in Scotland reaching record levels in 2024, all while patients struggle to access a GP appointment; is concerned, therefore, regarding reports that resident doctors are unable to secure speciality training places in Scotland’s NHS, while newly qualified nurses cannot get jobs despite over 2,600 unfilled whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery vacancies; regrets that inadequate NHS workforce planning by the Scottish National Party administration is forcing highly skilled clinicians to seek employment elsewhere, and calls on the Scottish Government to expedite its reported Future Medical Workforce project, and to report back to the Parliament by 1 September 2025, and undertake a wider review of workforce planning, with independent modelling and projections, and to report back by 1 December 2025, so that there is the required level of workforce to staff Scotland’s NHS.
Backed by
Supported by 2 additional MSPs
Lab 2
Lodged by
Baillie, Jackie
(Scottish Labour).
- Choudhury, Foysol (Lab)
- Sweeney, Paul (Lab)
Final vote on motion (as amended)
11 Jun 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
62Against
53Abstain
0Not voted
14Amendments incorporated
- S6M-17869.2 Gray, Neil — carried 65/53: As an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “acknowledges the challenges facing the NHS and the critical contribution of its workforce; thanks the dedicated NHS staff for their hard work and professionalism in times of enormous pressure; notes with concern that too many people are waiting too long for treatment and welcomes, therefore, additional funding to reduce patient waits and deliver 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025; acknowledges the challenges in primary care and community health settings, where too many people face difficulties making a GP appointment; recognises the calls for greater workforce planning to account for the changing landscape of delivering healthcare, building on historically high levels of staffing; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop future workforce planning in response to the forthcoming population health and service renewal frameworks; believes that it is important that this work is informed by doctors working in the NHS through the Future Medical Workforce project, which will report on the planned dialogue, alongside an analysis of workforce demand and supply, by the end of 2025, while continuing with implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce over the course of the year, and regrets deeply the UK Labour administration's reckless decision to close the health and care worker visa to adult social care, which will lead to acute workforce challenges and the closure of services, and have a devastating impact on both those receiving care and staff providing care.”
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament acknowledges the challenges facing the NHS and the critical contribution of its workforce; thanks the dedicated NHS staff for their hard work and professionalism in times of enormous pressure; notes with concern that too many people are waiting too long for treatment and welcomes, therefore, additional funding to reduce patient waits and deliver 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025; acknowledges the challenges in primary care and community health settings, where too many people face difficulties making a GP appointment; recognises the calls for greater workforce planning to account for the changing landscape of delivering healthcare, building on historically high levels of staffing; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop future workforce planning in response to the forthcoming population health and service renewal frameworks; believes that it is important that this work is informed by doctors working in the NHS through the Future Medical Workforce project, which will report on the planned dialogue, alongside an analysis of workforce demand and supply, by the end of 2025, while continuing with implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce over the course of the year, and regrets deeply the UK Labour administration's reckless decision to close the health and care worker visa to adult social care, which will lead to acute workforce challenges and the closure of services, and have a devastating impact on both those receiving care and staff providing care.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-17869.2: leave out from "recognises" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “acknowledges the challenges facing the NHS and the critical contribution of its workforce; thanks the dedicated NHS staff for their hard work and professionalism in times of enormous pressure; notes with concern that too many people are waiting too long for treatment and welcomes, therefore, additional funding to reduce patient waits and deliver 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025; acknowledges the challenges in primary care and community health settings, where too many people face difficulties making a GP appointment; recognises the calls for greater workforce planning to account for the changing landscape of delivering healthcare, building on historically high levels of staffing; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop future workforce planning in response to the forthcoming population health and service renewal frameworks; believes that it is important that this work is informed by doctors working in the NHS through the Future Medical Workforce project, which will report on the planned dialogue, alongside an analysis of workforce demand and supply, by the end of 2025, while continuing with implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce over the course of the year, and regrets deeply the UK Labour administration's reckless decision to close the health and care worker visa to adult social care, which will lead to acute workforce challenges and the closure of services, and have a devastating impact on both those receiving care and staff providing care.”
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 5 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Chamber
· 11 Jun 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-17869, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on addressing Scotland’s medical and nursing workforce crisis. I invite members who wish to speak in the deba…
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The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Jun 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
There are eight questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Neil Gray is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Sandesh Gulhane will fa…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Jun 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Neil Gray is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Sandesh Gulhane will fall. We come to the vote on amendment S6M-17869.2, in the name of Nei…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Jun 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
The next question is, that motion S6M-17869, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on addressing Scotland’s medical and nursing workforce crisis, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Jun 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
The result of the division on motion S6M-17869, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on addressing Scotland’s medical and nursing workforce crisis, as amended, is: For 62, Against 53, Abstentions 0. Motio…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-17869Selected itemCarried 62/5309 Jun 2025 · Motion For Debate · Baillie, JackieThat the Parliament recognises the scale of the crisis in Scotland’s NHS, with almost one in six people in Scotland on NHS waiting lists for tests or treatment, and private hospital admissions in Scotland reaching record levels in 2024, all while patients struggle to access a GP appointment; is concerned, therefore, regarding reports that resident d...
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S6M-17869.1Linked amendment/item10 Jun 2025 · Amendment · Gulhane, SandeshAs an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), after “vacancies;” insert “acknowledges that Scotland is experiencing a paradox of underemployed GPs who remain unable to find sufficient work despite widespread demand, as well as unemployed paramedics gr...
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S6M-17869.2Linked amendment/itemCarried 65/5310 Jun 2025 · Amendment · Gray, NeilAs an amendment to motion S6M-17869 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Addressing Scotland’s Medical and Nursing Workforce Crisis), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “acknowledges the challenges facing the NHS and the critical contribution of its workforce; thanks the dedicated NHS staff for their hard work and professional...