Official workforce statistics data are derived from a number of sources, some system-based, some survey-based.
This page documents the census and data extract dates, as well as any dates associated with quality assurance and publication.
Employment data
These data are extracted from SWISS monthly. We publish the data at the March, June, September, and December census dates. We work with NHS Boards to quality assure the data at the February, May, August, and November census dates.
| Census date | Extract date | Date available | Data use |
| 31 January 2024 | 13 February 2024 | ||
| 29 February 2024 | 12 March 2024 | 15 March 2024 | NHS Boards quality assurance |
| 31 March 2024 | 9 April 2024 | 4 June 2023 | NHS Scotland workforce publication |
| 30 April 2024 | 14 May 2024 | ||
| 31 May 2024 | 11 June 2024 | 14 June 2024 | NHS Boards quality assurance |
| 30 June 2024 | 9 July 2024 | 3 September 2024 | NHS Scotland workforce publication |
| 31 July 2024 | 13 August 2024 | ||
| 31 August 2024 | 10 September 2024 | 13 September 2024 | NHS Boards quality assurance |
| 30 September 2024 | 15 October 2024 | 3 December 2024 | NHS Scotland workforce publication |
| 31 October 2024 | 12 November 2024 | ||
| 30 November 2024 | 10 December 2024 | 13 December 2024 | NHS Boards quality assurance |
| 31 December 2024 | 14 January 2024 | 4 March 2025 | NHS Scotland workforce publication |
| 31 January 2025 | 11 February 2025 | ||
| 28 February 2025 | 11 March 2025 | 14 March 2025 | NHS Boards quality assurance |
| 31 March 2025 | 15 April 2025 | 3 June 2025 | NHS Scotland workforce publication |
The reason for the lag between the census and extract date is to allow time for NHS Board HR and payroll records to be updated in their source systems.
Advanced nurse practitioners (ANP)
The ANP employment data are available from SWISS and these data are extracted in line with the above employment timetable. However, only ANP workforce data at 30 September census are published in December release of the NHS Scotland workforce publication.
Doctors and dentists in training
Turas People data for doctors and dentists in training are extracted on 1st of each month. These data are merged with SWISS data at the last day of the previous month. Since Turas People over-writes when records are updated, these regular monthly data snapshots are necessary to maintain a longitudinal data set.
Vacancy survey data
Vacancy data are collected from NHS Boards for Consultants, Nursing and Midwifery staff and Allied Health Professions by a survey four times each year. These data form part of the NHS Scotland workforce publication.
We send the survey to data providers approximately two weeks prior to the census date, and ask that they are submitted by the third Friday after the census date.
| Census date | Date survey sent to data providers | Date for submission | Date available to public |
| 31 March 2024 | 15 March 2024 | 19 April 2024 | 4 June 2024 |
| 30 June 2024 | 14 June 2024 | 19 July 2024 | 3 September 2024 |
| 30 September 2024 | 13 September 2024 | 18 October 2024 | 3 December 2024 |
| 31 December 2024 | 6 December 2024 | 17 January 2025 | 4 March 2025 |
Consultant programmed activity
Data on consultant contracts are collected from NHS Boards by a survey once a year in September. This is currently on hold.
Dentists
There are three sources of dental workforce data in Scotland. These data are combined and are available in the NHSScotland workforce publication released in June and December.
Data about dentists working in the general dental services are sourced from the Management Information and Dental Accounting System held at Public Health Scotland. The timetable for these data are below.
| Census date | Date requested | Date for submission | Date available |
| 31 March | Mid-March | 30 April | NHSScotland workforce publication released in June |
| 30 September | Mid-September | 31 October | NHSScotland workforce publication released in September |
Data about dentists working in hospitals and community health services are sourced from SWISS. These data are extracted in line with the employment data timetable above.
Data on Vocational Dental Practitioners are sourced by NES from Turas Training Programme Management. These data are extracted at the end of April for 31 March census and end of October for 30 September census.
Medical and dental locum spend
Medical and dental locum spend data are derived from NHS Scotland's finance platform and are provided by NSS for the spend over a financial year. They are available in the NHS Scotland workforce publication released in June.
An email is sent in the middle of March requesting the data to be sent by the middle of April.
Nursing and midwifery agency
These data are collected from NHS Boards by a survey at the end of each financial year and are available in the NHS Scotland workforce publication released in June. We send the survey to data providers in the middle of March and ask that they are submitted by the middle of April.
For 2022, the survey will be sent to NHS Boards in the middle of March, with a submission date of the middle of April.
Nursing and midwifery bank staff expenditure
Nursing and midwifery bank staff expenditure data are extracted from SWISS by NES; the data cover expenditure for the full financial year. They are extracted at the end of April and are available in the NHS Scotland workforce publication released in June.
Pharmacy workforce survey (managed sector)
The NHS Scotland pharmacy workforce employment and vacancies are collected from NHS Boards by an annual survey. The census for these data is 30 September and the data are available in the NHS Scotland workforce publication released in December. We send the survey to data providers in the middle of September and ask that they are submitted by the middle of October.
Student nursing
Student nursing data are sourced from Turas Indexing by NES. The data are extracted in October each year are available in the NHS Scotland workforce publication released in December.