Johnstone urges action on pay and staffing as survey shows nursing care compromised
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (29 Sep) urged action on pay and staffing in light of a survey of over 3,000 Royal College of Nursing members in Scotland.
Half of respondents said their last shift was not staffed to the level planned and that care was compromised as a result.
The RCN is calling for increased funding, nursing pay to be increased, and new legislation to guarantee safe staffing.
Alison Johnstone, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said:
“This survey is a wake-up call for the Scottish Government, with staff and patients clearly suffering because of understaffing.
“Scottish Ministers have maintained a pay freeze – a real-terms pay cut – for NHS staff for too long and have been reluctant to use devolved powers to raise more revenue from the better-off to improve staffing in our public services.
“Greens have consistently pushed for the pay cap to be lifted, and for income tax powers to be used, and at last we’re seeing the government willing to have that discussion.
"Any legislation on this issue must deliver power to ensure safe and sustainable staffing. It’s clear the current situation cannot continue."