Scottish Government
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Influenza A (H1N1) planning
Nurses and midwives returning to work to help in any worsening of the H1N1 outbreak will have their re-registration costs paid for by the Scottish Government.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has written to former members whose registration has lapsed in the previous four years to encourage them to re-register. This would make them available to employers in the event of a surge in the pandemic.
Announcing the move Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said:
"We are continuing to work closely with boards and other organisations to ensure Scotland is prepared for any NHS staffing implications as a result of the pandemic.
"The extra resource former nurses and midwives can provide if the pandemic worsens will be vital and that is why we are offering to meet any costs that re-registering will incur."
Ms Sturgeon also revealed a further increase in Scotland's critical care capacity.
£1.4 million has already been invested in purchasing 40 extra adult ventilators and 15 extra paediatric ventilators.
In addition to this eight further neo-natal ventilators and three further adult ventilators have now been acquired.
Commenting, Ms Sturgeon said:
"Critical care capacity is not just an issue of available beds or cots. It requires, amongst other things, consideration of necessary equipment, such as these ventilators.
"Even if H1N1 continues to be a relatively mild virus for most people affected, its effects on the health service and on the wider community could be highly disruptive.
"That is why we continue to press ahead with our plans for responding to the virus and the impact of seasonal flu.
"We are already in a strong position to cope with the peak in cases expected over autumn and winter and we must remember in the vast majority of H1N1 cases, most people have fairly mild symptoms and make a full recovery within a week."
There are approximiately 9,500 nurses and midwives in Scotland who would meet the criteria set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The first four ventilator machines are expected within the next few weeks and the expectation is that the remainder will be delivered in November.
