NHS Fife bosses are “in denial” about staffing problems, it has been claimed.
Concerns about staffing issues were raised last month.
Fife MSP Alex Rowley says he believes management are in denial and failing to engage.
Yet NHS Fife say their “doors are always open” and they’ve recently met with health union Unison.
What’s the update as pressure continues to mount on health services?
Unison Fife health branch sent a list of “safety issue concerns” from their members to MSP Alex Rowley, asking for support last month.
Allegations include “people not getting proper rest breaks” and “dangerous staffing levels”.
At that time, NHS Fife told us they were yet to receive a copy of the letter but gave assurances safety is paramount and work would begin “imminently.”
NHS Fife ‘in denial’?
This week, the MSP met with officials from Unison Fife Health Branch and Unison Scotland.
“I am disappointed in the response to date from senior management within NHS Fife who seem to be in denial,” says Mr Rowley.
“I warn them that failure to listen to their own workforce and engage constructively at the local level is not sustainable.”
Mr Rowley is calling for a meeting with “key stakeholders” including frontline staff who struggle with the issues on a daily basis.
How many nursing vacancies are there?
Statistics from NHS Education for Scotland show nationally the number of unfilled registered nurse posts in NHS Scotland.
In NHS Fife:
- 506 nursing and midwifery posts are vacant
- This number represents 11% of the nursing and midwifery workforce.
Figures have improved from March when the Fife figure sat at 575 vacant posts.
But the Royal College of Nursing says vacancies are increasing pressure on already overworked and exhausted nursing staff.
And they point to their recent national staff survey which shows:
- 59% of staff felt upset or sad they couldn’t provide the level of care they wanted
- 51% say they felt demoralised on their last shift.
What do NHS Fife say?
NHS Fife Director of Nursing, Janette Owens, says they’re “acutely aware” of the scale of the pressures on staffing.
They’ve acknowledged this repeatedly during board meetings and regular meetings with politicians including Mr Rowley, she adds.
Issues are being experienced across the country and they’re working at local and national levels to get measures to relieve pressure on frontline staff.
But, she adds, nursing recruitment is “extremely challenging” because:
- vacancies are greater than the number of qualified staff and available nurses
- a far larger nursing workforce is needed
- of Covid, vaccination programme and unprecedented demand.
‘Can’t fill vacancies overnight’
Jannette adds: “The reality is there are no means by which we can fill all available vacancies overnight.
“So we must be more pragmatic in how we tackle existing pressures on our workforce.
“As part of these efforts, we have recently successfully recruited more than 70 healthcare support workers to help qualified nursing staff.”
New nurses from overseas
She outlined additional work to recruit including:
- an overseas recruitment programme with Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- 160 newly qualified nurses taking up post from September
- expanding the nurse bank with 950 additional staff recruited in 2021/22.
She adds: “Our doors are always open to staff and unions.
“Representatives from Unison met our chief executive and senior clinicians to discuss concerns and look at ways we could work jointly to help ease pressure on our workforce.
“As we’ve done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to work with staff and union colleagues to provide every possible support to staff working tirelessly to care for those who need it most.”
Conversation