Scotland could be on the verge of a fresh hospital staffing crisis after it emerged nearly one in five nurses are aged 55 or above.
Research by the Scottish Conservatives has revealed that 18.8 per cent of the nursing and midwifery workforce in Scotland are in that age group.
That compares to 17.9 per cent last year, and just 17.1 per cent in 2015.
Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said, with thousands of nurses considering retirement over the next few years, it could leave wards struggling right across the country.
He added that while experienced nurses were a key part of Scotland’s NHS, the SNP government should have prepared for their impending retirement long ago.
Earlier this year, nursing vacancies reached their highest ever level, while tens of millions of pounds are spent on agency and bank nurses to plug the gaps.
Analysis of the ISD Scotland statistics revealed, as of this year, there were 12,791 nurses aged 55 or over.
That’s an increase of more than 1000 from two years ago.
Of those, 3882 were over 60, with 556 over the age of 65.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:
“The NHS is already struggling to ensure wards are sufficiently staffed.
“With thousands of nurses contemplating retirement over the next few years, this crisis could get even worse.
“The SNP has known about this challenge for several years, yet has done next to nothing to prepare for it.
“The SNP will no doubt blame austerity, or blame Brexit.
“But these are long-term problems built up entirely on the nationalists’ watch – it is solely their responsibility.
“Any sensible government would have increased the number of students to ensure, when a generation of nurses does retire, we’re not left short.
“Older nurses lend valuable experience and work ethic to the NHS, and it’s welcome so many stay on even when they’re eligible for retirement.
“But we can’t ignore the impact their eventual departure will have on the health service.”