We continue to experience relentless pressures across all our healthcare services due to a number of reasons, but primarily the number of patients requiring treatment both with and without Covid.
The rising Covid numbers is also having a severe knock-on effect to our staff with high staff absences due to Covid and self-isolation, which is resulting in challenges across all our health services and our staff are struggling to cope.
We are well aware of the effect this is having on our staffing levels and the additional pressure on our staff who are available to care for our patients.
We want staff to be aware that we are doing everything we can to ensure that where there are staffing gaps we are taking steps, where possible, to fill these as often as possible.
We have already put in place processes that allow us to be able to fast-track vacancies so appointments to vacant posts are happening quicker than pre-Covid.
We are offering staff excess hours and overtime and we continue to fill shifts with bank and agency staff. An additional 4,000 shifts have been requested between bank and agency in priority areas between now and Easter.
We are also extending the bank weekly pay pilot to encourage the uptake of bank shifts.
It is our priority to ensure safe staffing levels not only for patient care but also to maintain a work/life balance for our staff and their safety and wellbeing. There is a range of support available to staff and further information can be found on our website at https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/services/staff-care-and-wellbeing/
Kay Sandilands
Director of human resources
