Research by the Royal College of Nursing has highlighted a combination of an ageing workforce, a lack of students coming through and erratic recruitment patterns.
The organisation states the nursing and midwifery workforce rose by only one per cent between 2009 and 2015, despite an increasing and ageing population placing an extra strain on hospitals.
Student nurse intake plunged by a fifth between 2010/11 and 2012/13, RCN Scotland said, while more than half the workforce is aged 45 or above.
The Scottish Conservatives have repeatedly warned about the impact of an ageing workforce, and the SNP’s failure to plan properly for the future.
Spending on bank and agency nurses is also soaring, while sickness levels among NHS workers remains worryingly high.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Donald Cameron said:
“Yet again we have a stark warning on the NHS staffing crisis from those who know best.
“Some of these factors, such as age profile, are matters outwith the Scottish Government’s control.
“But others fall directly at the SNP’s door.
“It has to explain why it hasn’t created more student places when it knew the workforce was ageing, and why hiring patterns have been so erratic.
“The NHS in Scotland has never been busier, but it’s being run by an SNP government which constantly lets it down.
“Ministers have consistently ignored opposition parties when it comes to NHS warnings, perhaps it will now listen to the experts on the ground.”