The Auditor General’s Annual Review of the NHS in Scotland, published today (Thursday 24 October), recognises that despite increasing pressure and financial uncertainty, NHS staff have delivered improvements in patient safety and experience.
RCN Scotland has highlighted for some time the need to do things differently and to deliver on the integration of health and social care. The pace of change has been too slow and the ambitions within the Scottish Government’s 2020 vision will not be achieved by next year.
Audit Scotland highlights the workforce challenges that the NHS in Scotland continues to face. Sustainability of the workforce is essential in delivering improvements and shifting the balance of care from acute hospitals into communities, but the Scottish Government’s Integrated Workforce Plan has still to be published.
Effective implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, passed in May, will be key to supporting long-term workforce planning, staff wellbeing and crucially, improving patient safety.
Providing a secure financial footing for NHS Boards has been a longstanding concern. Audit Scotland’s assessment that over half of the savings made by boards in 2018/19, such as delaying recruitment to vacancies, do not provide a year on year reduction in spending, demonstrates the scale of this challenge.
Commenting on today’s report, Theresa Fyffe, Director, Royal College of Nursing Scotland said:
“Nursing staff across Scotland go to work to do their best for patients and the impact of their commitment on improving patient safety and experience is highlighted in today’s report. But our members feel their contribution isn't valued and are frustrated by the slow pace of change.
“Audit Scotland recognises the importance of leadership and workplace culture. Yet too often we hear from the nursing profession how the pressures on the system can lead to burn out and a culture of bullying.
“The anticipated Integrated Workforce Plan may set out the approach to addressing these concerns and improving sustainability, but it is now more than 12 months overdue.
“The Scottish Government must do more to work with boards to speed up integration, address the financial challenges and create a positive working environment for staff across health and social care.”
You can read the whole report on the Audit Scotland website.
