CALLS have been made for a recruitment drive to attract more male nurses after numbers dropped to a seven-year low.

Despite a general increase in overall nursing numbers, the number of male nurses has been on a downward trajectory.

It means about one in 10 of Scotland’s nurses is male.

Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said that if more men were to consider a job in nursing it could help address future recruitment challenges.

The Conservative MSP added: “This is clearly a cultural problem and probably one that exists in many parts of the world.

“But we can make efforts to change that now, to persuade males contemplating career options to ‘man up ‘and go into nursing.

“It would diversify the workforce – something that’s always worth doing – but, more importantly, help address the recruitment crisis now and in future.

“There is no reason why men can’t go into nursing.

“The days of thinking otherwise are long gone.”

Last year, there were 6,924 male nurses registered to work in Scottish hospitals, a reduction of 49 from 2016.

The numbers reached a high of 7,168 in 2014.

In contrast, there are now 65,044 nurses overall – a figure that has been increasing steadily since 2011.

Scotland’s health secretary, Shona Robison, said a recruitment drive aimed at attracting a “more

diverse workforce” into nursing was already been developed.

Ms Robison added: “We are leading the way on workforce planning, becoming the first nation in the UK to publish a national health and care workforce plan.

“The Chief Nursing Officer’s review into widening participation into nursing and midwifery education and careers examined existing routes into nursing and midwifery education and career barriers that may exist, as well as how to address these.

“A campaign to recruit a more diverse workforce, tackle stereotypical images and attract more people into nursing and midwifery education and careers is currently being developed.”