Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour’s health and social care spokesperson, asked the First Minister what action the Scottish government is taking in response to reports that some NQNs have been unable to find jobs in the NHS. RCN Scotland is extremely concerned about the challenges some final year nursing students and NQNs are currently reporting in terms of finding their first job. We have been highlighting this issue directly with Scottish government and MSPs following reports from members who are concerned about their treatment through the graduate recruitment process and about their future job prospects.
Commenting, Norman Provan, RCN Scotland Associate Director, said:
“Nursing students have been on placements within NHS and social care services. They have experienced overcrowding and the pressures on services and witnessed the significant gaps in the nursing workforce. To be told there are no posts available is directly at odds with their personal experience.
“This is evidently a failure of the workforce planning processes and we’re also concerned that these decisions are being driven by short-term financial considerations rather than service and patient need.
“This is a false economy as the Scottish government, NHS Boards, universities and the students themselves invest significant time and money in getting to the point of qualification and registration. The Scottish government’s own figures estimate that over a three-year degree the average cost to train a nurse is in the region of £60,000 plus allowances and placement expenses.
“The Scottish government must ensure that newly qualified nursing staff are supported in their search for employment. Otherwise, they risk these individuals moving away from Scotland or leaving the profession altogether. This issue must be addressed quickly as the experience of this year’s graduates will do nothing to attract people into the nursing profession.”
