North MP says travel costs are causing rural nurses and carers to 'call it a day'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Jamie Stone has warned that nurses and carers in rural areas are being left out of pocket over travel costs.
They are "pulling out, giving up and calling it a day" because of the expense involved in making so many long journeys, according to the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Mr Stone underlined his call for the UK government to reassess mileage rates for healthcare staff.
At present, NHS staff in Scotland who travel more than 3500 miles annually see their reimbursement reduced from 61p per mile to 25p per mile. The rates went up by 5p per mile in April as a temporary measure.
The MP points out that some staff in his far-flung constituency move onto the lower rate in a matter of months given the large areas they cover.
As well as writing to NHS Scotland asking for the 3500-mile rule to be abolished, Mr Stone has urged the UK government to do more to support healthcare workers across the country.
"Rural communities rely on healthcare workers being able to travel to the elderly and the sick and yet rural nurses and carers are being left out of pocket," he said.
"Applause and empty gratitude isn't enough. Scrapping the 3500-mile rule would fairly compensate vital healthcare workers for the work that they do. I am yet to see such simple measures being taken.
"Nurses and carers are pulling out, giving up and calling it a day – a crisis our most vulnerable cannot afford to suffer."
Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister.
