Flag-waving populists and nationalists are not going to fix the NHS's problems
Scotland needs politicians who are interested enough to ask questions about dry issues like NHS workforce planning. Lives depend upon it
‘Workforce planning’ sounds rather dull. It’s not the kind of thing that excites the passions of flag-waving nationalist politicians or populists more interested in demonising people they don’t like. However, it can be a matter of life and death.
According to responses to a freedom of information request by Scottish Labour, there were more than 9,200 unfilled midwifery shifts in Scotland in 2025, compared to some 3,300 in 2019 and about 6,200 last year.
Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “The SNP’s record on NHS workforce planning has been nothing short of abysmal. Hardworking staff are having to pick up the strain as a result of an incompetent SNP government that is failing to provide them with the support they need.”
Maternity services ‘deteriorating’
In November, the Scottish Government agreed to hold a national investigation into maternity services after several strongly critical reports. Earlier this month, The Scotsman revealed a senior government official had admitted in a private meeting that maternity services were “deteriorating”. Those unfilled shifts may offer one explanation why.
In response to the figures, Health Secretary Neil Gray said the SNP had “substantially increased” the number of midwives and praised staff for their “incredible work... often in very challenging circumstances”. He added that the government was investing in “mental health support, psychological interventions, and therapies” for staff.
Perhaps if the government ensured sufficient midwives were available, working in maternity services would be less “challenging” and money could be saved from the mental health budget.
A fatal mistake
Few of us get to experience what it is like to save a life and this is one reason why a job in the NHS can be incredibly rewarding.
However, midwives also know that, if they make a mistake, a mother, a child or both could die. Each of those unfilled shifts represents extra pressure on the staff who are working and an increased chance that they might make just such a mistake.
Scotland should be grateful that it has politicians interested enough in issues like NHS ‘workforce planning’ to ask the right questions. And voters would be well advised to ensure there are still some left after May’s Scottish Parliament election.
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