The British Medical Association (BMA) council Scotland, has warned that NHS staffing levels are “dangerously low” despite “patient demand soaring.”
In a press release Dr Iain Kennedy, chairman of BMA Scotland, stated that Scotland is in a “medical workforce crisis”, further stating:
“GP numbers have fallen by more than 5 per cent over the past 10 years, as well as increasing consultant vacancies by over 11 per cent in the last year.”
The BMAs snap survey, conducted in December, revealed that NHS doctors in Scotland are frequently concerned about these unsafe levels of staffing.
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Only 1 per cent of respondents said they felt their department was well-staffed beyond safe levels and 80 per cent of respondents warned that medical and support staffing is regularly or sometimes unsafe.
Additionally, 72 per cent of respondents think medical staffing has worsened over the past two years – having decreased relative to patient demand.
This worry is exacerbated entering winter, as 62 per cent of respondents are worried or very worried that there won’t be enough doctors in Scotland’s NHS to meet patient demand this winter.
One respondent mentioned that “every week is starting to feel like working in a war zone.
“This is only going to get worse as the winter progresses.”
These results were published after the Scottish Budget was announced on 19 December, which increased the tax rate for the highest earners to fund a £500m rise in NHS spending.
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Dr Kennedy acknowledged that this “additional funding is, of course, welcome – but it remains a moot point whether this increase of £550m specifically for NHS boards will be sufficient” as there is a “forecast deficit of £395 million.”
He further warns that the increased taxation could have the unintended consequence of pushing senior doctors “who have already suffered years and years of pay erosion and punitive pension taxation” out of the NHS or force them to cut overtime.
This is especially problematic because “vacancies among consultants have already soared by 11 per cent over the last year – and are actually likely to be double official statistics when all posts are considered.”
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A Scottish Government spokesperson commented on the state of the NHS:
“NHS Scotland staffing is at record levels, bolstered by our investment since autumn 2021 of some £18m.”
Dr Kennedy responded, saying it was “not the time for platitudes or to tell us that we are at a record high” when staff are “stretching themselves to breaking point”.
He calls on ministers to “wake up” to the crisis and “act urgently… For the future survival of Scotland’s NHS and the patients who rely upon it.”
“Inauguración del Hospital Municipal de Chiconcuac” by Presidencia de la República Mexicana is licensed under CC BY 2.0.