Scottish Government Sets Up A Nursing And Midwifery Taskforce

21st February 2023

An expert group has been set up to improve working conditions for nurses and boost workforce numbers.

Chaired by the Health Secretary, the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce will include recognised nursing and midwifery workforce experts, alongside academia, NHS and Scottish Government representatives. The Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives will also be represented, among others.

It will build on efforts to make Scotland the best place for nurses and midwives to come and work by developing plans for the retention of the existing nursing workforce, as well as looking at recruitment.

Among the issues the Taskforce will consider are: building exemplary workforce cultures; addressing operational barriers; and improving working conditions, facilities and learning opportunities. The Taskforce will also support implementation of the National Health and Social Care Workforce Strategy.

Healthcare staff across Scotland have already been offered the largest pay package in the history of the NHS, with an average 6.5% increase in pay as part of a £568 million offer to unions for 2023-24 - ensuring staff in Scotland remain the best paid in the UK.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said, "Our nursing and midwifery staff have repeatedly shown their commitment to the NHS and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude, particularly for their efforts during the pandemic.

"Last year we awarded them a record pay rise and the new Taskforce will help ensure that Scotland's nurses and midwives are not only the best paid in the UK, but they have the best conditions and career opportunities as well."

The Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Alex McMahon and the Chief Midwifery Officer, Justine Craig have both welcomed the creation of the Taskforce.

Professor McMahon said, "The Taskforce brings the opportunity to develop a plan that will support both professions in Scotland as we consider how to improve working conditions for nurses and boost workforce numbers."

Ms Craig said, "We look forward to working with the Cabinet Secretary and other members in driving forward the ambition to build a sustainable and skilled nursing and midwifery workforce of the future; to create attractive and rewarding careers and fundamentally to allow them to deliver care to the standards to which they aspire.”

The Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce will not look at matters that pertain formally to pay, terms and conditions reform, including implementation of the non-pay elements agreed as part of the 22/23 Agenda for Change pay deal.

Nursing ministerial task force must not be a talking shop, says UNISON Scotland

Scotland's largest health union has reacted to today’s (Monday) announcement by Health Secretary Humza Yousaf of a ministerial task force set up for nursing and midwifery.

Wilma Brown, chair of the UNISON health committee and NHS nurse, said: "UNISON Scotland has warned about short-staffing in the NHS for years. I am glad the Scottish government has finally decided to accept the need to boost workforce numbers as well as improve working conditions. Unfortunately, this announcement will do little for the morale of NHS staff working in catering, portering, admin, labs, ambulance and other professions across the NHS who will feel that their workplace shortages and pressures continue to be ignored."

Matt McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland head of health, said: "UNISON is ready and willing to participate in this task force but our members expect real and rapid progress, not a talking shop. The pressure is on the Scottish government to improve working conditions and bring our NHS back to full health. Our dedicated health members deliver high-quality patient care day in and day out - it’s time the Scottish government delivers for them."

UNISON is the largest union in the NHS representing 50,000 NHS workers across Agenda for Change including: nurses, midwives, managers, domestics, porters and admin workers. The union has membership in every health board in Scotland. Agenda for Change (NHS terms and conditions) cover most health workers in the NHS apart from doctors and dentists.

Comment
Something certainly needs to be done as the vacancy rates for nurses and midwives does not seem to be improving.