Consultant Vacancy Rate Rises

NHS Workforce statistics don't capture the full scale of consultant vacancies in hospitals, says BMA Scotland.

The Scottish Government is being urged to do more to reduce NHS consultant vacancies.

Data collected by the BMA shows a vacancy rate of 11%.

During the summer months, NHS Fife reported a 25% shortage in consultants in acute services.

Dr Nikki Thompson, chair of the BMA's Scottish consultants committee, said: 

"Although the number of consultant posts in Scotland has been slowly increasing, it is not keeping pace with patient need. The problem is further compounded in some key specialties by large numbers of unattractive vacancies, putting unsustainable pressure on those consultants who are in post.

"Consultant colleagues are already working under significant pressure and are increasingly having to cover gaps where vacancies cannot be filled. The reality on the ground does not tally with the official vacancy figures, and the information provided by health boards backs that up.

"We are not suggesting that the official figures are inaccurate, but they don’t show the whole picture.  We’re calling on the Scottish Government to work with us to collect meaningful information so that they can take swift and appropriate action to ensure that we are able to recruit and retain the consultants required for the Scottish health service to continue providing quality patient care."