NHSScotland CAMHS Workforce

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 30 September 2023, on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) workforce staff in post, vacancies and staff in training.

Figures are presented as headcount (actual numbers of staff) and whole time equivalent (WTE), which adjusts the figures to take account of part time working.

At 30 September 2023:

• There were 1,372.2 WTE (1566 Headcount) staff in post within NHSScotland CAMHS, an increase of 109.9% since 2006, 38.1% since 31 March 2016, 9% since September 2022 and 0.9% since last quarterly census. This is an increase of 17.4% within the Nursing professional group and decrease of 4.5% within the Psychology professional group and 6% within the Medical professional group since September 2022 census. Of the total staff in post, 45 WTE (3.3%) were on maternity leave and 14.6 WTE (1.1%) were on long term sick leave.
• There were 71.5% (981.7 WTE) CAMHS staff working in whole-time posts and 28.5% (390.5 WTE) working in part-time posts, an increase of 10.1% in whole-time posts and 6.3% in part-time posts since last year census. Within the Medical professional group, more than half (59.2%) of the workforce worked part-time, compared to 42.9% in the Psychology professional group and 15% in the Nursing professional group.
• Of the 1372.2 WTE staff in post, 90.8% (1246.4WTE) worked in permanent posts and 9.2% (125.8 WTE) worked in fixed-term posts. This is an increase of 12.3% in fixed-term posts and 8.6% in permanent posts since last year census.
• There were 85 WTE vacancies advertised which is a decrease of 37.5% vacancies since September 2022 census. 51.4% of vacancies were in the Psychology professional group,27.9% of vacancies were in the Nursing professional group and 7.6% were in the Occupational Therapy professional group.
• Of the total vacancies advertised, 68.4% were advertised for less than 3 months, 25.2% were advertised for 3-6 months and 6.5% were advertised for more than 6 months. A further 28.3 WTE were approved for recruitment but not yet advertised.
• Of the total 85 WTE vacancies advertised, 19.4% (16.5 WTE) were advertised as new posts and 86.5% (73.5 WTE) were advertised as replacement posts and 0.7 % (0.6 WTE) were advertised as Maternity/Paternity cover. The total vacancy rate of 5.9% has decreased compared to 9.7% for the last quarterly census and September 2022 census.