The manifesto includes commitments to record and publish data on instances of corridor care, and to invest in social care and community care to help tackle delayed discharges, corridor care, A&E waits and handover delays for ambulances. 

On workforce, the party pledges to introduce a rolling 10-year workforce plan, build new dedicated key worker housing to help health workers take up posts, create a Health and Social Care Staff Assembly, and establish a homecoming incentive scheme for people trained in Scotland who are currently working overseas. 

The manifesto sets out plans to embed 900 new multidisciplinary patient-facing staff - including nurses - in GP practices and neighbourhood health teams, which the party says is the equivalent of giving every GP practice an additional member of clinical staff. There is also a pledge to introduce a ‘Fair Deal for Rural Healthcare’ which would involve changing professional education and creating strong clinical networks to give peer support to professionals working in remote and rural communities. 

The party also has a focus on mental health, pledging to establish the world class mental health services Scotland needs through better workforce planning, setting a new target for additional mental health professionals, working alongside the police and prison staff and guaranteeing year-on-year real terms increases to the mental health budget. 

Out with the NHS, the party commits to improving support for hospices, enabling them to pay doctors and nurses in line with NHS salaries. There are also plans to make careers in social care more attractive, and to better value experienced staff, through national bargaining (and committing to fund the outcomes of this) so that care workers get fair pay and better conditions as soon as possible.  

Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director, said: 

“The commitment to record and publish data on instances of corridor care is welcome. There is a clear need to understand where care is being delivered in inappropriate settings, and the true scale of the problem, if this unsafe and unacceptable practice is to be eliminated. We also welcome the party’s recognition that greater investment in social care and community services is essential to tackling this issue. 

“It’s good to see commitments to improve workforce planning and to develop dedicated key worker housing. We know that access to affordable housing is a significant barrier, particularly for nursing students and staff considering placements or posts in rural and remote areas. Plans to improve access to professional development and peer support for professionals working in rural areas are also welcome.  

“We would be interested in further details about the plans for a homecoming incentive scheme for Scottish nursing staff currently working abroad. While the party’s ambitions to address mental health challenges are welcome, they must be underpinned by urgent investment in Scotland’s overstretched community mental health nursing teams and by action to increase the number of mental health nurses entering the profession.” 

RCN Scotland has responded 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.