Labour has claimed that the Scottish Government must urgently intervene to avert the “recruitment crisis” at NHS Grampian.
Shadow health spokeswoman Jenny Marra said that there was “no doubt that patient care is being compromised” at the health board, which has suffered several high-profile controversies in recent months.
Now the north-east MSP has demanded Health Secretary Shona Robison take action or else “patient satisfaction and staff morale will continue to fall”.
She made the comments after it emerged almost 800 complaints had been made about staff shortages at the health board last year.
Complaints about NHS Grampian also soared by almost a third in 2014 – one of the most tumultuous years in the health board’s history.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish Government had added the equivalent of 660 full time positions at the health board since 2011.
Ms Marra said: “It is clear that we have a particular problem in NHS Grampian which goes over and above the recruitment crisis which is hitting hospitals all over Scotland.
“I know that NHS Grampian is attempting to take steps to address the staff shortages but there is no doubt that patient care is being compromised because of the reduced manpower.
“I believe there is a role for the Scottish Government in recognising the particular difficulties faced in NHS Grampian and helping them to fill these vacancies.
“Unless Shona Robison takes action, patient satisfaction and staff morale will continue to fall.
“The Scottish Government has to work with Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian to attract new recruits to the city and ensure the people of Aberdeen get the healthcare they deserve.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman previously said that though progress was being made in easing staffing pressures, more work still needs to be done.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Despite a reduction in Scotland’s budget by 8.6% in real terms since 2010/11, we’ve protected the frontline budget in NHS Grampian, and ensured that the board has received above inflation revenue increases each year over this period.
“This year, NHS Grampian received funding of £830.1million – an uplift of 6.7% on the previous year and the largest of any mainland health board. This means that the board’s revenue budget has increased by over £246million under this government.”
“Staffing within NHS Grampian has increased by nearly 6%, or 660 full-time equivalent members of staff, under this government with a 32.7% increase in consultants and a nearly 50% increase in other trained doctors.
“We’ll continue to support the board as they develop their staffing now and in the future.”