Fears of Scottish “nursing staff shortage”

Scotland could face a shortage of nurses, unless action is taken to keep older employees in the workforce, an organisation has warned.

A Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCN) report – named Older? But Wiser? – found the workforce is ageing, with “significant numbers” aged 50 or over.

The NHS retirement age for most nurses is between 60 and 65.

As a result, the organisation has called on the Scottish government to set up a national forum.

RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe explained: “[This] would include representatives of employers, nurses, professional organisations, trade unions and government, to oversee this.”

“If we are to prevent a skills shortage in the future, work must begin now to address this.”

Additionally, RCN Scotland has said it is calling for support for the forum and its recommendations from the secretary for health and wellbeing and the government.

In other news, the NHS is making progress against key priorities and is continuing to show strong financial management, the Department of Health has said.

A report published by the organisation found the service’s performance in the second quarter of 2008 – June to September – met its 18-week commitment nationally five months early in August.