The Scottish government is being urged to safeguard vital services as nurses and midwives are forced to fight to secure NHS jobs.
In a bid to save money, health boards are resorting to “unsustainable tactics” including not replacing people and freezing posts, which is affecting available positions for newly trained nurses, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland said.
The measures could have “devastating consequences” for future patient care, the union warned.
This year nearly 4,000 NHS posts will be cut, including 1,500 midwifery and nursing jobs, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced to MSPs in June.
She insisted patient care would not be affected by the cuts and said there would be no compulsory redundancies.
Associate Director of RCN Scotland, Ellen Hudson, has voiced her concerns about the impact of any cuts on people trying to start a career in nursing. Read more…
