Frances Black (Independent)
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Apologies for being late. I tried to listen to the debate. It is lovely to have the witnesses here. The committee knows first hand of the consequences of the recruitment embargo. It is deeply disappointing to hear that although the embargo has been lifted, strict controls on recruitment are still in place. These constraints not only limit our capacity to expand services and meet the rising demands of healthcare; they also take a severe toll on the mental and physical well-being of front-line workers. That is the aspect about which I am concerned.

During our discussion on 18 September, there was considerable focus on time, including maximising the time we invest, average waiting times and timeframes for achieving targets. However, rarely do we do we address the time healthcare workers dedicate to caring for others, often at the expense of time spent with loved ones and, in particular, caring for themselves. It is not surprising that in the annual INMO survey, not one respondent rated staff morale as excellent. It says an awful lot that 70% felt their work impacts on their physical health and 41% said it negatively affects their psychological well-being. I ask the witnesses to expand a little on that. It is often the biggest issue. We forget about the impact of all of this on front-line workers.

What is the general sentiment among healthcare providers? Has working in the sector become less fulfilling? I presume it probably has. Bearing in mind that everyone is struggling with burnout, what supports are in place for those who need them? How heavily does this contribute to those who emigrate or take a career break? Are there any statistics on this? Perhaps that should be a factor in workplace planning, especially at a time when recruitment is so tightly restricted.

I recall being in hospital with my sister, who was very sick. The hospital was like a war zone. I remember looking at a nurse and trying to figure out what the story was. She looked as if she had PTSD. She was so traumatised, it was very hard for her to be present for herself or anybody else. It was 2 a.m. and the place was crazy. There were not many people on duty. I never forgot that, and I often wondered how that nurse coped and survived.