NHSScotland Workforce Information

Statistical Publication Notice

29 January 2008

NHSScotland Workforce Statistics  

INTRODUCTION

KEY POINTS

• The number of staff employed in NHSScotland at 30th September 2007 was 162,143 (headcount).  Whilst trend information is not directly comparable due to the changes in pay structure and staff groupings, the number of staff employed in NHSScotland continued to increase (2.3% increase compared to 30th September 2006 where 158,522 staff were employed).  
• Nursing & midwifery staff account for 41.5% of all staff (headcount) employed in NHSScotland.  The number of nursing and midwifery staff in post (headcount) at 30th September 2007 is 67, 345, an increase of 246 (0.4%) from 30th September 2006.  
• The number of medical and dental staff in post at 30th September 2007 is 15,349 (headcount) an increase of 750 (5.2%) from 30th September 2006. 
• The number of consultants (medical and dental) employed by NHSScotland has increased by 5% (headcount) from 3,856 in September 2006 to 4,045 in September 2007.  The vacancy rate is currently 6.7%. 
• The number of allied health profession staff in post at 30th September is 10,981 (headcount), an increase of 136 (1.2%) from 30th September 2006.

INTERPRETATION

• The tables present figures in both Headcount numbers and Whole Time Equivalents (WTE).  WTE adjust headcount staff figures to take account of part-time staff.
• An employee may hold more than one appointment in NHSScotland. Their appointments may be in more than one NHS organisation, in more than one region, in more than one specialty, or in more than one grade and will therefore be double counted in some tables.
• In this release, the information presented is changing to reflect the introduction of Agenda for Change for the first time and it is important to understand how this affects the analyses presented.  See www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

DETAILED FINDINGS

• At 30 September 2007, 41.5% of all staff (headcount) in NHSScotland were employed in the nursing and midwifery staff group.
• The number of nursing and midwifery staff in post at 30th September 2007 is 57,050.4 (WTE), an increase of 266.5 (0.5%) from 30th September 2006. The corresponding headcount showed an increase of 0.4% from 67,099 at 30th September 2006 to 67,345 in 30th September 2007.
• The nursing and midwifery vacancy rate at 30th September 2007 is 3.5%.

• At 30th September 2007, there were 11,823 medical and dental staff in NHSScotland, an increase of 622 (5.3%) since 30 September 2006.
• The number of consultants in post increased by 189 (5.0%) to 4,045 and the number of consultant vacancies was 290, 9 more than at 30 September 2006. 
• The consultant vacancy rate is 6.7%, compared with 6.8% at 30 September 2006.
• At 30th September 2007, there were 4,721 doctors (including registrars) employed in the General Medical Service (i.e.General Practice), 95 more than at 30 September 2006.
• At 30th September 2007, there were 2,546 dentists employed in the General Dental Service (i.e.General Practice), 112 more than at 30 September 2006.

• The number of allied health professions staff in post at 30th September 2007 is 8,951.5, an increase of 109.3 (1.2%) from 30th September 2006.
• The allied health profession vacancy rate at 30th September 2007 is 4.8%.
• At 30th September 2007 NHSScotland employed 549.9 personal social care staff, 5,152.8 Healthcare science staff and 2,753.6 Other therapeutic staff (which includes Clinical psychology and counseling, Genetic counseling, Optometry, Pharmacy and Play specialists).
• At 30th September 2007 NHSScotland employed 3,529.8 emergency services staff, 24,736.7 administrative services staff and 13,961.9 support services staff.

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MAIN CONTACTS:

Bill Ramsay
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 7568
william.ramsay@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published: 25 September 2007
Next Due:  March 2008 (full release annually in January. Selected information on a quarterly basis)
Data Avaliable Since: Paper publication since 1970s, web publications since 1996

Main contact: Bill Ramsay

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