Scots nurses fear job insecurity

The Royal College of Nursing say the workforce in Scotland is at "breaking point" Fewer than a third of Scotland's nurses feel the profession offers a secure job, the Royal College of Nursing says.

Its survey of 700 nurses and health care support workers found 30% felt secure, compared with 82% in 2009.

RCN director Theresa Fyffe said Scotland's nurses are under "immense pressure" due to financial worries and that morale is "plummeting".

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said government would do "everything in its power to support the NHS".

Other findings included 38% of respondents saying they would recommend nursing as a career, compared with 54% two years previously.

Almost three quarters of those surveyed believed stress had increased at work. Theresa FyffeRCN director Two thirds are more worried about job cuts and possible redundancy than a year ago and 68% said financial concerns had increased since 2010.

'Warning shot'

Director of RCN Scotland Theresa Fyffe said: "Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and health care support workers in our NHS is plummeting.

"While the impact of such pressures could be expected, it doesn't mean the situation should continue. If action is not taken and stress continues to increase, standards in patient care will begin to fall.