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Almost four in five Scots say there are not enough nurses for safe patient care
Summary
A Royal College of Nursing poll found 78% of Scots say there are not enough nurses for safe, effective care, and 84% said nurses do not get long enough with patients.
Content
Almost four in five people in Scotland say there are not enough nurses to provide safe and effective care, according to polling carried out for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). The survey, conducted by the Diffley Partnership between January 26 and 29, found 78% agreed there were insufficient nursing staff and 84% said nurses do not get long enough with patients. The RCN released the findings alongside a pre-election manifesto calling for investment in community services and mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. A Scottish Government spokesperson pointed to workforce growth, reporting 64,396 nurses in post (a 15% increase over the past decade), and said the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce report published in February 2025 is being implemented.
Key findings:
- 78% of respondents said there are not enough nursing staff to provide safe, effective care.
- 84% said nursing staff do not get to spend long enough with patients.
- 86% supported mandatory, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for all health and care settings.
- The RCN urged the next Scottish Government to ensure staffing for safe care and to invest in community services in its pre-election manifesto.
- The Scottish Government noted recent workforce growth, annual wellbeing investments, and ongoing implementation of the 2025 Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce recommendations.
Summary:
The poll shows broad public concern about nursing numbers and patient contact time. The RCN has called for action from the next Scottish Government ahead of the May parliamentary election. The Scottish Government highlights rising nurse numbers and says it is implementing taskforce recommendations.
