Unions have warned Scotland is facing a “chronic shortage” of doctors as new figures show there are 480 consultant posts vacant across the NHS.

BMA Scotland voiced its concerns about the “substantial long-term gaps” in the medical workforce as the latest figures on NHS staffing were published.

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland said the number of nursing staff was “simply not keeping pace with the number of people they are expected to care for”.

READ MORE: BMA leader: 'If I cut my hours my net pay would increase by £30k'

Overall, the number of people working for the health service in Scotland increased, with the whole time equivalent (WTE) of 142,471.4 staff members employed at the end of December 2019.

That included 5,392.2 WTE medical and dental consultants, 60,651 WTE nurses and midwives and 11,976.4 WTE allied health professionals – such as physiotherapists, podiatrists and dieticians.

NHS figures showed vacancies for consultants had increased by 15.7% over the year to stand at 480.8 WTE – with more than half (55.1%) of these jobs having been empty for six months or more.

Vacancies in nursing and midwifery increased by 16.8% over the year to stand at 3,606.9 WTE posts, with vacancies in mental health up by 42.3% to a WTE total of 712.

Meanwhile, there was a 19.3% increase in vacancies for allied health professionals, with this up to 724.3 WTE at the end of 2019.

Graeme Eunson, chairman of the BMA’s Scottish consultants committee, said: “It is time for a reality check.

“We need to see more investment in core staff if waiting times are to be realistically tackled.”

He described the “substantial long-term gaps in Scotland’s workforce” as being a “growing and serious concern – stretching the workforce to the limit and affecting the ability of doctors to deliver the high-quality patient care they strive for”.

READ MORE: BMA Scotland pensions survey exposes 'disaster' facing NHS 

Mr Eunson said: “We need urgent and long-lasting action to address this deeply worrying lack of doctors.

“It is vital this chronic shortage of doctors is finally addressed.

“We need to see serious steps in Scotland to make working as a doctor an appealing career choice and show doctors they are valued. ”

He added: “That means focused efforts on recruitment and retention, improved work-life balance and concrete steps to improve the culture in the NHS; tackling bullying, and reducing the narrow focus on targets and the high pressure, blame-focused environment they create.

“I appeal to Scottish ministers to take this matter seriously and to address it urgently before it’s too late.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman compared Scotland’s figures with those in England (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA)

RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe said the new statistics provided “yet more evidence of the pressures faced by Scotland’s NHS in maintaining a sustainable workforce”.

Ms Fyffe said: “The number of nurses and health care support workers in both our NHS and care home sector is simply not keeping pace with the number of people they are expected to care for.”

She added: “We need to ensure nursing is seen as an attractive and rewarding career and that policies and working conditions support nursing staff to stay in the profession.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Our NHS Scotland staff do a fantastic job every day, and today’s figures show there are now a new record high number of them – having increased by over 15,000 WTE (12.1%) under this Government.

“Our record high staffing includes a record high number of consultants, nurses and midwives.”

She added: “Our NHS workforce is continuing to grow as we work to ensure that we continue to have the right people in the right place at the right time to deliver the high quality care which meets Scotland’s needs.

“This is in the context of Scotland’s NHS already having 44% more nurses and midwives per head than the NHS in England.”