1 million days of nurse and midwife time lost due to mental ill health

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today urged the SNP Government to finally combat pressures faced by nurses and midwives, after research by his party revealed that over 1 million days of nursing and midwifery staff time have been lost to mental ill health in the past five years.

Freedom of information requests submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats to all of Scotland’s health boards revealed that:

• In the past four years, 1,091,134 days of nursing and midwifery staff time have been lost to mental ill health. This is the equivalent of 2,987 years.
• The number spiked last year (2024/25), rising by 15%, from 221,357 days lost to 253,873 days lost.
• NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde reported the highest number of nursing and midwifery days lost to mental ill health last year (2024/25), with a total of 64,528 days.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have been raising concerns for years now about the stress and pressure that NHS staff are under.

“When nurses and midwives are stressed and run off their feet, they are in no position to provide the highest quality care for their patients.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats believe Scotland deserves better than this. SNP health secretaries have come and gone but on their watch the situation is simply getting better. Mental health is still treated like a second class service.

“The government must urgently rewrite their failed recovery plan so that it prioritises the recruitment and retention of hardworking staff, preventing burnout and ensuring there are enough staff on each shift.

“I want staff and patients to know that my party is on their side and we have a realistic plan to get things done. We want to deliver first-rate health care and an end to staff being run ragged on every shift so you can see your GP, dentist or mental health professional when you need them.

“The coming election is an opportunity for change with fairness at its heart and with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.”