Stevenson Marks RCN Nurses' Day With Local Nurses In Parliament

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has marked International Nurses’ Day by supporting a Motion to Parliament recognising the hard work that nurses from Scotland and across the world do and the vital role they play in the health service.

In addition, the SNP MSP met with a delegation of school nurses from Banff & Buchan to discuss the changing role of the school nursing service.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“I am using today, Nurses’ Day, to not only celebrate the incredible work that nurses across the country do, but also to support a call for a recruitment drive to increase the number of school nurses.

“The Royal College of Nursing has noted that Scottish Executive statistics show there is only 305 whole time equivalent qualified nurses in Scotland. 

“Quite simply nurses do not have the time to provide the full range of services that a child needs.

“But if we double the number of nurses in our schools it will make great head way into preventing ill health in areas of deprivation.

“The SNP wants children to have a health programme throughout their school lives so that they grow up into healthy, happy and successful adults.

“Already, obesity is prevalent amongst one-in-five 12 year-olds which is a figure intrinsically linked to the one in four children currently in poverty.  These figures are an abomination and need to be reversed.  The SNP’s policy is designed to be a proactive measure to do this.

“School nurses will work with parents, teachers, and children and they will be the key in delivering this policy.  That is why I was particularly pleased to be able to meet with a delegation of nurses from Peterhead and Fraserburgh in parliament today to hear their concerns at first hand and I have undertaken to raise these with the appropriate authorities.”