PARLIAMENTARY: Implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act

Following Scotland’s Safe Staffing Act coming into force on 1 April, this briefing sets out why this groundbreaking legislation is needed more badly than ever, and the key differences it will make for our members and those they’re caring for.

Almost five years since the Act was passed, we continue to see persistently high nursing vacancy rates, increased reliance on supplementary staffing and alarming numbers of nurses leaving the profession.

Our members have told us that unacceptable and unsafe working conditions are being normalised, nursing staff are burnt out, and the impact of not being able to provide the level of care they want is taking a serious toll.

The implementation of this long-awaited legislation, along with other vital initiatives such as the Ministerial Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce, offers hope for the future.