Patients could die as a result of ongoing staff shortages in Aberdeen, health bosses have warned.
The city’s health and social care partnership says it’s almost certain that difficulties with recruitment and retention will have an “extreme” impact on services in the city.
The Press and Journal says concerns have also been raised about access to the likes of care homes and dentistry, and the ability to balance the budgets at the end of the year.
The situation has been branded “precarious” by one MSP, calling for action to better look after health staff and encourage a new generation to sign up.
A new report, to go before a city council committee this week, lays bare the full scale of staffing concerns in Aberdeen.
It says one-in-three members of health and social care staff employed by the partnership and NHS Grampian are now over 50.
Exhausted workforce
And in turn, the workforce is “totally exhausted” with a high turnover – again with the over-50s particularly affected – and large numbers of vacancies.
Health chiefs say they’re now in “direct competition” with non-clinical posts elsewhere.
And the cost-of-living crisis “will impact” on staff members’ ability to get to work because of rising fuel prices.
The report reads: “(We are in a) post Covid-19 landscape, where many staff have reflected on their personal situation, which has led to increased numbers of early-retirement applications, requests for reduced hours and staff leaving the service.”
As a result of this risk, it raises the potential for “loss of life and unmet health and social care needs”.
Meanwhile the partnership has increased the risk level of patients not being able to access the services they require.
Significant gaps
This includes care homes where “significant gaps” in working with operators have led to a mismatch between the physical capacity available, and the “suitability and appropriateness” of it.
It also affects dentistry, where concerns over staffing and training are causing practices to start leaving the NHS.
There are just 10 in Aberdeen accepting non-private patients.
Concerns about the partnership’s financial position are also being raised.
Inflation, the cost of living, staffing costs and energy prices are all playing a role.
As it stands, it’s currently forecasting to break even by the end of the financial year, but questions are being raised over how much cash it will have available in future.
Tough choices
The report says "tough choices" may be needed when it comes to reducing or stopping services, depending on how much funding is allocated.
North-east MSP Douglas Lumsden says there needs to be a “local first, Aberdeen first” plan implemented to ease the situation.
“The current and near-future position of health and social care in Aberdeen looks precarious,” he said.
“Without question, we need to look after these valued professionals more carefully, so they don’t leave the service.
“More needs to be done to make care and nursing more attractive to school leavers and graduates.
“Doing that will avert this pressing risk to our vulnerable and elderly people.”