Image source, bbc

SNP MSP James Dornan says everyone has lost someone in the NHS and he says it is unbecoming for anyone to pretend they have a monopoly on that.

Ms Lennon intervenes what Mr Dornan would ask the Scottish government to do to prevent nurses having to use food banks.

Mr Dornan says Scottish nurses are better looked after than any other nurses across the UK.

He says the only people Labour are damaging with their constant carping are the hard working NHS staff.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says all the staff in the NHS deserve a much better deal than the one they are getting from the SNP.

two years ago her father died recently in Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride at the age of 60 years old and it broke her heart.

The Labour MSP says a nurse called Paul cared and nursed for her dad with such compassion and attentiveness she will never forget him.

Image source, bbc

She also praises a nurse called Katie who looked after both her father and mother.

Ms Lennon says the nursing staff who looked after ther when she visitied a breast clinic were simply first class.

She says nurses are going to food banks and tonight we'll see if the SNP vote with the Tories against a pay rise for NHS staff.

Image source, Thinkstock

MSPs passed a motion, in March, warning that patient safety is at risk amid a "recruitment crisis" in the NHS.

Holyrood backed a series of opposition amendments following a Scottish government debate on patient safety.

They included a Lib Dem mention of a "recruitment crisis" and Labour warnings that services are "near breaking point".

This left the SNP voting against Shona Robison's amended motion, but they were defeated by opposition members.

Mr Cameron says the warnings to the Scottish government have been coming for years.

"When will they listen?" He asks.

The Tory MSP asks "do we want another four years of this government," running the NHS and he replies to his own question by saying the answer is a "resounding no".

Mr Cameron says he welcomes the Scottish government's commitment to pay the living wage to staff.

The Tory MSP says any decision to increase pay has to be taken in the wider context.

He says Labour have made no mention or given any detail of the cost of what they are proposing..

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Neil Findlay says there are huge vacancy rates and yet the member is arguing for a cap on NHS pay and asks if the MSP pay rise is fair.

Mr Cameron again calls for some figures, but perhaps not consulting with Diane Abbot this time.

Mr Cameron says Brexit does present a challenge and one of the UK government's top priorities is securing the status of EU nationals.

The Tory MSP says that the problems with the NHS staff did not all of a sudden start following the Brexit vote.

He says the Scottish government cannot continually blame Brexit for problems with NHS Scotland which it has had control of for the past decade.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says support must come from additional pay.

Mr Cameron says he agrees that NHS staff should be better supported but would like to know where the funding will come from. 

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Donald Cameron says the SNP government has been in power for more than ten years now.

Mr Cameron says there are significant staff vacancies and failures in waiting time targets.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says a quarter of NHS A&E departments were in crisis, not seen here in Scotland.

Mr Cameron says the SNP should not point the finger at other places as it runs the NHS in Scotland.

Tory MSP Donald Cameron uses his amendment to say NHS staff deserve to be valued and supported.

Mr Cameron says that the Scottish Government has let down NHS staff by failing to carry out long-term workforce planning.

The Tory MSP acknowledges that nearly half of the NHS workforce believes that there are not enough staff for them to do their job properly.

He says that widespread short staffing is damaging for staff morale and patient safety and that recruitment and retention issues are in large part due to working conditions.

Mr Cameron calls for efficiencies to be made in areas such as spending on agency and locum staff amid concerns from groups such as the Royal College of Nursing over staffing levels in NHS Scotland.

Here is Tory MSP Donald Cameron's amendment.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, SPL

Ms Robison says the Scottish government has taken a "constructive approach" with its partners. 

The health secretary says the government do think that there is merit in the independent pay review structures but that it is also open to discuss alternatives with the union.

She says the government will continue to work with its partners. 

Image source, bbc

Health Secretary Shona Robison details some NHS staff who are now paid more in than Scotland than their counterparts in England and Wales.

Ms Robison says as the unions recognise it is not just about pay but it is about pay progression.

She says NHS Scotland staff value the no compulsory redundancy policy.

The health secretary says she looks forward to meeting with the RCN and Unison over the next weeks to discuss pay.

Ms Robison says she recognises that NHS staff in Scotland have faced real challenges as a result of inflation outpacing uplifts at the top of pay bands.

The health secretary says she believes that the best resolution will be found by the Scottish government working in partnership with NHS staff representatives.

Image source, SPL

She calls on the Scottish government to seek agreement with the staff side, through their representatives and unions, to jointly commission work, developing an evidence base to assess the impact of pay restraint, using this evidence as part of the submission to the next pay round of the NHS Independent Pay Review body.

Ms Robison remains concerned that Brexit is continuing to be a cause of uncertainty for staff from other parts of the EU working in the NHS, and believes that the rights of these committed staff should be guaranteed immediately, and that maintaining freedom of movement within the EU is vital to sustain the health service for the future.    

Health Secretary Shona Robison says she regularly sees the excellent work that the health service provides day in day out. 

Ms Robison says there are record workforce levels despite record demands on that workforce.

The health secretary says the UK and Welsh governments have agreed the pay cap on NHS staff. 

Mr Sarwar intervenes to ask the health secretary to confirm that the government recommended a 1% pay cap.

Ms Robison says that the pay is affected by the UK treasury.

Health Secretary Shona Robison uses her amendment to say that the NHS Independent Pay Review body helps determine NHS pay on a UK-wide basis, and that the Scottish government has consistently implemented its recommendations. 

Ms Robison says that, as a result of recommended pay uplifts being passed on in full in Scotland, unlike other parts of the UK, band 5 Agenda for Change staff members in Scotland will be up to £312 better paid than their counterparts in England and Wales.

Image source, bbc

The health secretary welcomes that, over and above the pay recommendations, due to Scottish government action for the lowest paid, entry level NHS support staff in Scotland are paid more than £1,128 more than their counterparts in England. further 

She also welcomes that no compulsory redundancies, free nurse student tuition and nurse student bursaries are being retained in Scotland, but is concerned about the impact of their loss on the NHS in other parts of the UK. 

Here is Health Secretary Shona Robison's amendment

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, bbc

Mr Sarwar calls on the parliament to unite and send a message to NHS staff telling them they are the most valuable asset.

He says his motion is clear: "Scrap the NHS pay cap".

Mr Sarwar says there have been a marked increase in nurses seeking advice on professions away from nursing. 

SNP MSP Emma Harper says that the survey Mr Sarwar cites is for the whole of the UK not just Scotland. 

Mr Sarwar says he spoke to nurses this morning who have confirmed the issues an that he would expect Ms harper, a former nurse, to be backing a pay increase for nurses. 

The Labour MSP says the Scottish government has been in control of the NHS in Scotland for a decade and they are solely responsible. 

Image source, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Teresa Fyffe, director for the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme some nurses had resorted to using food banks.

"Nurses have had a 14% pay cut since 2010 and we know that nurses are actually feeling tough times with regard to this low pay," she said.

"They are going to use food banks in some cases, they are doing double jobs and we also know that nurses have actually applied to our RCN Foundation for hardship grants. We see that there's been a 50% rise since 2010 - that's 700 nurses across the United Kingdom.

"So overall there is a feeling among nursing, a low morale, a feeling of weariness and a sense that their pay is going down, their work is getting harder and things aren't getting better for them."

• Nurse shortage 'could last for years'

Mr Sarwar says the Scottish government is overseeing the vacancy crisis but paying out millions of pounds to private agency nurses.

The Labour MSP says £175m of cash went on agencies and says the pose a risk to safety.

He says this makes no sense at all.

Mr Sarwar says the RCN says NHS staff pay has fallen way behind the cost of living.

He says nurses in Scotland are struggling to survive on their pay packet.