Action urged over nursing jobs

Nursing unions want improved conditions

Nursing leaders and trade unions have called on the Scottish Executive to take action to improve conditions for nurses and the standard of care available for patients.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland and the public services union Unison say help is needed to attract more people into the profession and ensure that those already there stay on.

The call from both organisations follows a staff survey, which suggested the majority of nurses thought they were under too much pressure due to understaffing.

They also want the Nursing and Midwifery Convention, which is due to take place on Monday, to formulate new proposals for making the profession more attractive to potential recruits.

We want to see the Scottish Executive take action to address the needs of both staff and the people of Scotland. We want solutions, not slogans

Jim Devine, Unison

Tracy McFall, chair of RCN Scotland, said: "Nurses in Scotland are under increasing workload pressures and are concerned that they are unable to give patients the care they need.

"A recent RCN survey discovered that only 36% of nurses believe there are enough staff in Scotland to carry out the work demanded of them.

"It is vital that the convention takes action to deal with these issues."

Jim Devine, Unison's Scottish health organiser, said ministers needed to allocate more investment to the profession.

Ringfenced budgets

He said: "We want to see the Scottish Executive take action to address the needs of both staff and the people of Scotland. We want solutions, not slogans."

Both the RCN Scotland and Unison want Monday's nursing convention to support a free return to practice courses for those who have left the profession.

They also want to see ringfenced nursing training budgets with guaranteed time off and an increase in the number of nurse consultant posts.

RCN Scotland board secretary James Kennedy said: "We want Scotland to be the best place for patients.

"An investment in nurses is an investment in quality patient care."