NHSScotland CAMHS Workforce

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 31 March 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 31 March 2023:

• There were 1,320.6 WTE (1515 Headcount) staff in post within NHSScotland CAMHS, an increase of 102% since 2006, 32.9% since 31 March 2016, 12.7% since March 2022 and 2.1% since last quarterly census. This is an increase of 13.5% within the Nursing professional group, 3.6% within the Medical professional group and 2.7% within the Psychology professional group since last year census. Of the total staff in post, 3.3% (43 WTE) of staff were on maternity/paternity leave and 1.2% (15.3 WTE) were on long-term sick leave.
• There were 70.6% (932.9 WTE) CAMHS staff working in whole-time posts and 29.4% (387.7 WTE) working in part-time posts, an increase of 12.3% in whole-time posts and 13.5% in part-time posts since last year census. Within the Medical professional group, more than half (58.8%) of the workforce worked part-time, compared to 43.2% in the Psychology professional group and 14.9% in the Nursing professional group.
• Of the total NHSScotland CAMHS workforce, 91.7% (1210.9 WTE) were working in permanent posts and 8.3% (109.7 WTE ) were working in fixed- term posts. This is an increase of 13.3% in permanent posts and 6.2% in fixed- term posts since March 2022 census.
• There were 159.2 WTE vacancies advertised of which 40.3% of vacancies were in the Psychology professional group, 37.4% of vacancies were in the Nursing professional group and 13.3% were in the Other professional group. The WTE of vacancies decreased by 16.2% since last quarterly census. Of the total vacancies advertised, 60.2% were advertised for less than 3 months, 24.8% were advertised for 3- 6 months and 14.9% were advertised for more than 6 months. A further 54 WTE were approved for recruitment but not yet advertised.
• Of the total 159.2 WTE vacancies advertised, 62.6% (99.6 WTE) were advertised as replacement posts, 35.8% (57 WTE) were advertised as new posts and 1.6% (2.6 WTE) were for maternity/ paternity posts. The total vacancy rate of 10.8% has decreased compared to 12.8% for the last quarterly census and 15.5% for March 2022 census.