The report – ‘Let’s Be Heard: Access to Health and Social Care Services: Voices of Service Users, Family Members, and Professionals’ – draws from the experiences of more than 7,000 people, including NHS and social care staff.
Some healthcare workers described long COVID ending their careers, claiming they received little support from employers or occupational health. Staff also described a lack of PPE, inconsistent and confusing guidance and being moved between services, often with little notice or appropriate training.
Social care workers described feeling undervalued throughout the pandemic, despite the risks they faced, and many respondents called for better support for staff wellbeing in any future pandemic.
Responding to the report, Norman Provan, Associate Director Employment Relations, RCN Scotland said:
“The testimonies published today make harrowing reading and will transport many back to those unprecedented times. We are grateful to everyone who shared their experiences and provided vital insight into the experiences across health and care services. The fear, uncertainty and pressure felt by the nursing workforce and by patients and families is a consistent theme throughout this report.
“Scotland’s nurses and nursing support workers were the constant presence in health and care settings during the pandemic. They faced an unprecedented scale of death and many isolated from their families to continue saving lives. Their contribution and sacrifice must never be forgotten. Many continue to suffer the consequences, describing living with burnout, moral distress, PTSD and long COVID.
“Nursing staff were let down by a system that was understaffed and unprepared - sent to fight a deadly virus with inadequate protection and ineffectual guidance. This significantly undermined the pandemic response and cost lives.
“The Scottish government must pay attention to the lessons to be learned shared by respondents as part of the Let’s Be Heard process. Scotland must be better prepared for future health emergencies, with a well-supported nursing workforce, guaranteed access to appropriate PPE, effective workforce planning and meaningful support for staff wellbeing. The time to invest in and listen to nursing is now, if we are to save lives in the future.”
The Royal College of Nursing is a core participant in the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry. This gives us the opportunity to make statements during public hearings and to propose questions for Counsel to the Inquiry to ask witnesses. Our involvement in the Inquiry is essential given the role nursing staff played in the pandemic response.
