600,000 nursing and midwifery days lost to mental ill health since 2020

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today urged the SNP Government to finally combat pressures faced by nurses and midwives, after research by his party revealed that more than 600,000 days of nursing and midwifery staff time have been lost to mental ill health since 2020.  

Freedom of information requests submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to all of Scotland’s health boards revealed that:  

• In the past three years, 615,904 days of nursing and midwifery staff time has been lost to mental ill health. This is the equivalent of 1,687 years.  
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde reported the highest number of nursing and midwifery days lost to mental ill health last year (2022/23), with a total of 53,496 days.  
• NHS Lothian also reported a high number of days lost to mental health absences in 2022/23, with a total of 39,193 lost days.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:    

“It’s clear from these figures that staff are at breaking point. Nurses and midwives need solutions, not a decade of SNP mismanagement.  

“The SNP have compounded pressures for nursing staff. The problem stretches all the way back to Nicola Sturgeon cutting nursing training places and claiming that was ‘sensible.’  

“There has been zero sign of action to resolve this from the Health Secretary  The SNP and Greens have repeatedly opposed my party’s call for a plan to address staff burnout. They have shown pig-headed contempt for a strategy that would guarantee annual leave, ensure safe staffing levels and champion the expertise of those who know our health service best.

“It’s little wonder they’re now finding it harder than ever to attract and retain new staff.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will provide new hope for nurses and midwives. I want them to know that my party is in their corner.”