306,288 days of nurse and midwife time lost due to mental ill health in Glasgow & Clyde

306,288 days of nurse and midwife time lost due to mental ill health in Glasgow & Clyde

The Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Strathkelvin & Bearsden, Adam Harley, has today urged the SNP Government to finally combat pressures faced by nurses and midwives, after research by the party revealed that 306,288 days of nursing and midwifery staff time in Glasgow & Clyde have been lost to mental ill health in the past five years.

Freedom of information requests submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that in the past four years, 306,288 days of nursing and midwifery staff time in Glasgow & Clyde have been lost to mental ill health. This is the equivalent of 839 years.

Adam Harley said:

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have been raising concerns for years now about the stress and pressure that NHS staff are under in Glasgow. 

“When nurses and midwives are stressed and run off their feet, they are in no position to provide the highest quality care for their patients.

“SNP health secretaries have come and gone but on their watch the situation is simply getting worse across the country. Mental health is still treated like a second-class service.

“The Scottish Government must urgently rewrite their failed recovery plan so that it prioritises the recruitment and retention of hardworking staff, preventing burnout and ensuring there are enough staff on each shift.

“I want staff and patients in East Dunbartonshire to know that the Scottish Liberal Democrats are on their side and we have a realistic plan to get things done. We want to deliver first-rate health care and an end to staff being run ragged on every shift so you can see your GP, dentist or mental health professional when you need them.

“The coming election is an opportunity for change with fairness at its heart for Strathkelvin & Bearsden and with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.”