Nanette Milne, Scottish ConservativeMSP for the North East has called on the SNP Scottish Government to undertake research to assess how many potential future consultants are currently in training.
The North East MSP has previously called on the SNP Scottish Government to introduce a high cost are supplement for NHS Grampian. The North East MSP has been leading calls for additional help for NHS Grampian to help recruit and retain staff.
Dr Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East and Shadow Minister for Public Health said:
“For some time Scottish Conservatives have been warning the SNP Scottish Government that NHS Grampian are finding is extremely difficult to recruit and retain staff partly down to the higher salary levels available in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen.
“It is clear that many NHS Health Board serving communities across Scotland are facing difficulties in recruiting and retaining key NHS staff and I hope a positive solution can be found to address this problem.
“It is vital that potential future consultants are identified and a career path developed to help secure the consultants we need in the NHS
“The Scottish Government should look to undertake research to assess how many potential future consultants are currently in training.”
The North East MSP continued:
“Serious consideration must be given to the how to address the recruitment and retention difficulties Health Boards such as Grampian, Highland, Western Isles, and Orkney and Shetland are having and what steps can be taken to actively promote key NHS staff to move to the area.
“UNISON Grampian Health Branch recently carried out research into living cost for NHS workers in the North East. The research found that child care costs for example were on average £800 higher than anywhere else in Scotland.”