Scotland's student nursing intake 700 short of target

The number of student nurses recruited in Scotland this year is 700 short of the government's target.

University admissions service Ucas figures show that out of 4,837 nurse and midwife places funded for 2022-23, just 4,130 students have been accepted.

The Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCN) said nursing had to be made a more attractive career.

The Scottish government said nursing and midwifery staffing was up by 5.8% since the onset of the pandemic.

The RCN was responding to the publication of Ucas data on university places filled for the 2022-23 academic year.

The data showed there were 3,850 nursing students and a further 280 on midwifery courses - a total of 4,130 and 707 short of the target.

The union said it was concerned the shortfall would add to the current workforce crisis.

Eileen McKenna, associate director for nursing, policy and professional practice, said the impact of failing to fill the nursing and midwifery courses "must not be underestimated" as it would only add to the "nursing workforce crisis".

"Fundamental to encouraging people into the profession is how nursing is viewed, valued and respected by governments and the wider population," she said.

"Current rates of pay simply do not reflect the fact that nursing is a graduate profession with significant levels of clinical skill and expertise.

"Registered nurses are critical to patient safety and this should be evident in their pay."

Ms McKenna added that bursaries currently awarded to nursing students in Scotland should be increased to reflect rising costs.

The latest NHS data showed that in June, there were 6,010 nursing and midwifery vacancies in Scotland, despite a 0.9% increase in the number of staff over the last year.

In July, it emerged that five wards at Scotland's largest hospital each had to operate with one registered nurse on duty.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said NHS Scotland's workforce as a whole was at "historically high levels".

"The clearing process is ongoing and final numbers will not be known until the end of cycle in December.

"However, it's welcome that compared to 2019, today's Ucas figures show there has been an increase of over 5% in the number of acceptances for nursing places and over 7% in midwifery places in Scotland.

"For context the number of nursing acceptances in Wales are down by over 17% over the same period."

The minister said he looked forward to the remaining places being filled, adding that the Scottish government had increased the nursing and midwifery student bursary to £10,000 in 2020.

The Scottish Conservatives described the student shortfall as "both deeply concerning and a further indictment of the SNP's dire workforce planning in Scotland's NHS".

The party's health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: "It appears Humza Yousaf has created a vicious circle in recruitment: his shambolic mismanagement of the NHS - which has left us with too few nurses, who feel overworked and under-rewarded - is putting off young students from joining the profession and alleviating the problem."

RCN Scotland will be balloting members on industrial strike action between 6 October and 2 November

Members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be participating in similar ballots.

On Wednesday, Mr Yousaf said he did not begrudge unions for asking for more than 5% given the cost of living crisis.

But he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Equally of course I have to be really upfront that any additionality to 5% is going to have to be found within my health budget and that means having to take money away from other crucial services and that can be really difficult."