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SNP publishes manifesto for Scottish election
The SNP has published its manifesto for the Scottish election, with the First Minister outlining the cost of living as the defining issue. He also outlined plans to make the NHS fit for the future through investment, protection and renewal.
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The manifesto includes commitments that align with some of our calls, including improving pathways to progression from band 5 to band 6 for nurses and providing a cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary, by at least inflation in each remaining year of the parliament. The party have also pledged to improve and expand pathways into the nursing profession, particularly for people looking to enter the profession later in their career, and to develop more community-based placements for nurses.
The party also plans to launch an NHS Job Guarantee. This would give all graduates for medicine, dentistry, nursing and other NHS professions in Scotland a guaranteed position for a minimum 3-year contract.
To address concerns about access to palliative care, the manifesto commits to co-developing a new funding model for hospices, to ensure public funding keeps pace with need, and to introduce NHS pay parity for hospice staff, guaranteeing that pay parity is maintained throughout this parliament.
The party also says it will will address the pressures facing A&E departments and the ambulance service through the implementation of a national plan for hospital flow - driving down delayed discharge.
On social care, the manifesto commits to expanding collective bargaining into social care and outlines plans for a new Complex Care investment which will aim to free up hospital beds by supporting individuals who are delayed in hospital due to complex care needs.
Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director, said:
“We know that many nursing students face significant financial hardship during their studies so it’s welcome that the SNP has listened to our calls to introduce a cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary, which has decreased in value in recent years. This, along with expanding the routes into nursing, is a welcome step to helping address difficulties attracting people into the profession.
“We also need to see the next Scottish government commit to the investment necessary to implement all the recommendations of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce which made a series of detailed proposals aimed at improving recruitment and retention.
“The RCN has been campaigning for a clear career pathway that allows registered nurses to progress from band 5 to band 6 after completing a period of preceptorship. While we need to see the details of the SNP proposals, it’s welcome that the manifesto commits to improving the current situation where nurses face disparities in career progression opportunities compared to other graduate health professions.
“We also need to see the details of the planned NHS Job Guarantee; we have heard concerns from student and newly qualified nurse members about the availability of jobs in recent years, but it’s important that the Guarantee works in a way that doesn’t restrict career choice and flexibility for individuals.
“It’s disappointing that the manifesto doesn’t include a commitment to eradicate corridor care. While the manifesto includes a national hospital flow plan, this seems focused on tackling pressures in A&E when we know that care in inappropriate places and overcrowding is not limited to A&E but affecting areas throughout Scotland’s hospitals.
“Key to tackling the capacity problems facing Scotland’s hospitals is the need to invest in social care. It's disappointing not to see more detail on the SNP’s plans to tackle the significant challenges facing Scotland’s care homes and wider social care sector.
“Scotland’s nursing staff and patients cannot afford more warm words and expect the next Scottish government to deliver on the pledges made during this election campaign. We look forward to working with the next cohort of SNP MSPs to take forward these policies.”
RCN Scotland will respond to each of the main parties’ manifestos, and we encourage all of our members to engage in the political process and use their vote on 7 May.
The party also plans to launch an NHS Job Guarantee. This would give all graduates for medicine, dentistry, nursing and other NHS professions in Scotland a guaranteed position for a minimum 3-year contract.
To address concerns about access to palliative care, the manifesto commits to co-developing a new funding model for hospices, to ensure public funding keeps pace with need, and to introduce NHS pay parity for hospice staff, guaranteeing that pay parity is maintained throughout this parliament.
The party also says it will will address the pressures facing A&E departments and the ambulance service through the implementation of a national plan for hospital flow - driving down delayed discharge.
On social care, the manifesto commits to expanding collective bargaining into social care and outlines plans for a new Complex Care investment which will aim to free up hospital beds by supporting individuals who are delayed in hospital due to complex care needs.
Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director, said:
“We know that many nursing students face significant financial hardship during their studies so it’s welcome that the SNP has listened to our calls to introduce a cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary, which has decreased in value in recent years. This, along with expanding the routes into nursing, is a welcome step to helping address difficulties attracting people into the profession.
“We also need to see the next Scottish government commit to the investment necessary to implement all the recommendations of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce which made a series of detailed proposals aimed at improving recruitment and retention.
“The RCN has been campaigning for a clear career pathway that allows registered nurses to progress from band 5 to band 6 after completing a period of preceptorship. While we need to see the details of the SNP proposals, it’s welcome that the manifesto commits to improving the current situation where nurses face disparities in career progression opportunities compared to other graduate health professions.
“We also need to see the details of the planned NHS Job Guarantee; we have heard concerns from student and newly qualified nurse members about the availability of jobs in recent years, but it’s important that the Guarantee works in a way that doesn’t restrict career choice and flexibility for individuals.
“It’s disappointing that the manifesto doesn’t include a commitment to eradicate corridor care. While the manifesto includes a national hospital flow plan, this seems focused on tackling pressures in A&E when we know that care in inappropriate places and overcrowding is not limited to A&E but affecting areas throughout Scotland’s hospitals.
“Key to tackling the capacity problems facing Scotland’s hospitals is the need to invest in social care. It's disappointing not to see more detail on the SNP’s plans to tackle the significant challenges facing Scotland’s care homes and wider social care sector.
“Scotland’s nursing staff and patients cannot afford more warm words and expect the next Scottish government to deliver on the pledges made during this election campaign. We look forward to working with the next cohort of SNP MSPs to take forward these policies.”
RCN Scotland will respond to each of the main parties’ manifestos, and we encourage all of our members to engage in the political process and use their vote on 7 May.
