Councillor slams lack of nursing jobs

A COUNCILLOR who was elected to fight for services at a Lothians hospital has criticised the health board for not finding enough jobs for nurses.

Cllr Ellen Glass, of the Action to Save St John's party in West Lothian, campaigns on behalf of the Livingston hospital.

In a letter to the campaign she has said there are too many newly-qualified nurses who can't get employment, even though agency nurses are filling other vacancies across the area.

NHS Lothian has cut back significantly on the use of expensive agency nurses in recent years, having been previously dependent on them to fill in for sickness and holiday absence.

But Cllr Glass said: "I am very aware that we in West Lothian have newly-qualified nurses who are unable to secure temporary, never mind permanent, posts in any of the NHS Lothian hospitals."