The manifesto includes commitments that align with some of our calls, including the introduction of nurse-to-patient ratios for all health and care settings and action to attract more people into the nursing profession, including a cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary, a nationwide recruitment campaign for nursing and an expansion of the routes into nursing. 

The party has also pledged to deliver a long-term, sustainable funding model for hospice care, including fully implementing pay parity between NHS and hospice care staff. 

On social care, the party commits to an immediate funding boost, before working to collectively identify a sustainable model for funding and delivering social care at a time of constantly increasing demand. Other pledges include delivering pay parity between NHS and social care nurses, collective sectoral bargaining and transferring failing care homes into public or community ownership so that the Scottish care home estate is transferred out of private ownership over time. 

Other commitments include investing in Scotland’s health visitor programme, introducing legislation to underpin rights and support for people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence, and mandatory menopause education for public sector employers, with a requirement that menopause symptoms qualify for leave from work. 

Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director said: 

“It’s welcome that the party has listened to our calls to introduce nurse-to-patient ratios for all health and care settings. Too many nurses are currently required to care for unsafe numbers of patients and the evidence couldn’t be clearer that this puts patients at unacceptable risk. As well as improving patient safety and boosting staff wellbeing and retention, investing in safe nurse staffing levels can also lead to cost savings. 

“Commitments aimed at attracting more people into the nursing profession, such as increasing the nursing student bursary, are also welcome, as are pledges to recognise the value of nursing staff working in social care and hospices by delivery pay parity with those working in the NHS. 

“The party’s vision of bringing private care homes into public or community ownership raises some questions, but the focus on quality care, ethical commissioning and identifying a sustainable funding and delivery model for social care is much needed. 

“Whatever the makeup of the new Scottish Parliament and Scottish government, we need to see a focus on following through on these commitments, rather than just warm words, and we look forward to working with the next cohort of Green 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.