STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

HUNDREDS of nursing and midwifery posts are unfilled in hospitals in the Glasgow area.

Official statistics show there are almost 900 posts vacant and almost 200 have been unfilled for more than three months.

Nursing leaders have said that staffing gaps were affecting services and warned of a retirement “timebomb” in the coming years with an ageing workforce.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has 861 unfilled vacancies and 190 for more than three months which nursing unions call difficult to recruit posts.

Across Scotland there are 2634 nursing and midwifery vacancies meaning almost one third are in the Glasgow area.

Theresa Fyffe, RCN Scotland Director, said: “The RCN has continually raised concerns about what the statistics are telling us, and it is important to keep speaking up on behalf of all nursing staff.

“They want to do their absolute best for patients 365 days a year and their efforts are being seriously undermined by the growing gaps in the workforce.

“The significant rise in the number of ‘hard to fill’ posts, vacant for three months or longer, shows just how difficult health boards are finding it to recruit staff.”

She said the Scottish Governments workforce planning due later this month was eagerly anticipated.

Ms Fyffe added: “The Scottish Government and health boards now need to listen to staff and work together with the RCN and other unions to tackle the problems, if we are to avoid shortages in future, which can only affect patient care.”

The Scottish Government said there were 11,500 more NHS staff than in 2007 when the SNP took office.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Under this Government, NHS staff numbers have risen to record highs with more consultants, nurses and midwives now delivering care for the people of Scotland.”

Opposition MSPs said services were bound to be affected by the vacancies.

Anas Sarwar, Labour health spokesman said: ““Only a third of NHS staff think there are enough of them to do their jobs properly and nine out of ten nurses think their workload is getting worse.

“It is clear that our hospitals are finding it increasingly difficult to cope.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “We always have a number of vacancies given the natural turnover in an organisation which employs more than 38,000. These vacancies take time to fill and we have rigorous recruitment processes in place to ensure that posts are filled appropriately.

“Our vacancy numbers fluctuate on a regular basis but in September we successfully filled a number of nursing vacancies due to the high graduate output from the universities at that time of year.

“We have a robust retention and recruitment strategy in place and strive to ensure that the packages we offer to nursing staff of all levels are as attractive as possible.

“We have a strong focus on training and personal development and flexible working arrangements allowing staff to better manage their work and home life.”