Written submission (Finance and Constitution Committee call for views Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum)

RCN Scotland’s response to the call for views issued by the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee on the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum

The RCN has challenged the ‘current budget’ basis of the Financial Memorandum; and has argued that further investment is required, particularly in Scotland’s nursing workforce, if legislation for staffing for safe and effective care is to make a practical difference. The RCN has therefore challenged the ‘no additional cost’ message which appeared throughout the Financial Memorandum. The RCN argues that the tools and methodologies in place should be looked at to ensure that some of the assumptions – such as bed occupancy and sickness absence – are correct. It is imperative that staff to get time for CPD, particularly senior charge nurses and community team leaders who are integral to the success of monitoring, risk assessment and local resolution. With that in mind, the RCN argues that senior charge nurses and community team leaders should be non-caseload holding.