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Thread: Scotland nurses 'at breaking point'

  1. #1
    Super Moderator cougarnurse's Avatar
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    Scotland nurses 'at breaking point'

    Guess it's happening all over....... http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/sc...6908-23447562/

    SCOTLAND"S nurses are suffering "plummeting" morale and job insecurity, the Royal College of Nursing said today.

    A study by the body found nurses working in Scotland's NHS are under "immense pressure" as financial worries, stress and job insecurity push them to "breaking point".

    The RCN's employment survey follow figures released by the Scottish Government last month which show a "rapid acceleration" in the number of nursing posts being lost across NHS Scotland, with the number of nursing staff now at its lowest point since 2006.

    Seven hundred nurses and health care support workers in Scotland took part in the RCN's employment and morale survey.

    The survey found that fewer than a third - 30% - of nurses feel nursing will continue to offer them a secure job in the future, compared with 82% two years ago.

    Only 38% would recommend nursing as a career, compared with 54% in 2009 and three quarters - 74% - of those questioned reported increased stress at work.

    The study also found that around two thirds of NHS nurses in Scotland - 67% - are more worried about job cuts and the threat of redundancy than they were a year ago and 68% said concerns about their financial situation have increased in the past year.

    Theresa Fyffe, director of RCN Scotland, said: "Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and health care support workers in our NHS is plummeting.

    "While the impact of such pressures could be expected, it doesn't mean the situation should continue. If action is not taken and stress continues to increase, standards in patient care will begin to fall.

    "The survey was carried out before it was confirmed in this week's Scottish budget that pay for NHS staff earning over £21,000 is to be frozen for a second year, so it is likely that the financial pressure on our members will increase even further.

    "The survey's findings should fire a warning shot across the bows, for the Scottish Government and NHS managers alike.

    "Our nursing workforce is at breaking point and the tactic of cutting posts in an uncoordinated manner is simply not working. We need a vision for our NHS which sets out how services can be delivered more efficiently without placing an unacceptable burden on nursing staff, the very backbone of health services in Scotland."

    Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Our nurses do a fantastic job. I know how tough a job it is and they have my thanks and appreciation at all times.

    "The current financial and economic climate is having an impact on all sections of society. However, the Scottish Government is doing - and will continue to do - everything in its power to support the NHS, and those who work in it, through difficult times.

    "Firstly, we have fulfilled our commitment to pass on the health Barnett consequentials to the NHS in Scotland in full. Over the next three years, health board budgets will rise in real terms, reflecting our commitment to frontline services.

    "Secondly, I have made it clear that, as the size and shape of the NHS workforce changes to reflect changing patterns of care, we must work in partnership with staff to ensure that quality of care remains the top priority. The RCN knows that my door is always open to them to discuss these issues. And thirdly, we have made clear that a key objective of our pay policy is to preserve jobs as much as possible.

    "We have now committed to maintaining our policy of no compulsory redundancies for a further year, precisely to give workers, like nurses, who do difficult and stressful jobs, the job security that they deserve."


  2. #2
    Member Extraordinaire hppygr8ful's Avatar
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    Not surprising

    Considering that Scottish Nurses make the equivilent of $18.00 and hour and their average patient load is around 10 to 14 patients. I bet they are at the breaking point! They also pay around 57% of their income back in taxes to cover all the social programs including socialized medicine, but if they get sick the average wait for a hospital admission is 122 days and 39 weeks for start of oncology treatment.

    Just something to think about.

    Hppy

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