Commenting on the announcement of nursing and midwifery student intake numbers for 2022-23, Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Interim Director, said:“It’s good to see that the Scottish government has listened to the RCN’s calls for bigger increases in nursing student numbers. This increase needs to be the first step in a longer term strategy to grow the workforce significantly.
“With a record-high number of vacant posts in the NHS, significant vacancies in social care, and a continuing pandemic, the Scottish government needs to grow the workforce to ensure safe and effective staffing for the population’s future needs. In addition to increasing student numbers the Scottish government needs to Implement the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act as soon as possible.”
