Helpdesk
The document below outlines the quality assurance process used for the NHS Scotland workforce data. If you have any questions, please contact datagroup@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Background
NHS Scotland CAMHS and Psychology Workforce Official Statistics publications are produced quarterly following a methodical publication cycle involving the data quality assurance process with the data suppliers to ensure that the most accurate data are used for the analysis. Data are collected directly from NHS Scotland Psychology services and NHS Scotland CAMHS and held within the National Psychology Workforce Information Database and the National CAMHS Workforce Information Database. The data collected are verified by CAMHS and Psychology Services lead clinicians, who NES work closely with, to ensure a high level of data accuracy.
These reports aid in supporting educational training and planning, to assess the impact of central Scottish Government funding to expand CAMHS and Psychology Services workforce and monitor the retention of Applied Psychology trainees within NHS Scotland workforce following qualification completion.
Overview
The quality assurance process has the following steps to ensure data accuracy for Staff in Post, Vacancies and Staff in training:
Data collection
1. Staff in Post
1.1. Database accuracy
Key contacts from each CAMH service were identified and are responsible for entering and updating data for all staff in their own service. Each key contact has access to their service or board only in regulation with confidentiality policies.
A word document and a guidance file are sent to users to help collect information particularly on newly appointed members of staff. The database user inputs this information in the database or the NES CAMHS and Psychology workforce team member inputs the information when the completed form is returned, if there are staffing shortages or busy periods within the health boards.
1.2. Staff in post list
Staff lists update in NES Turas
At the beginning of the publication process, an extract of the current data held within the database is extracted, analysed for any discrepancies and uploaded to the confidential area within Turas with row level security provided for each individual user to check the accuracy of the data. Any queries are added to this file for the data provider to check.
Notifying NHS Health Boards
An email is sent to the Health Boards notifying the publication cycle has begun and requesting the boards to check accuracy of the data. A period of 2-3 weeks is provided for the data providers during which database support, new database users’ access, new start forms and queries on existing records are supported by NES CAMHS and Psychology workforce team. A reminder email is sent around a week later and final email is sent after the deadline has passed, if the data suppliers have not confirmed the data by then.
The records held in the databases are checked within the system and any anomalies are queried with the data providers.
Staff list extract checks
An extract is taken and analysed to check for any errors in the records which are then queried with the data providers.
CAMHS and Psychology checks
An extract is taken and analysed towards the end of the staff list data collection process to make sure that all Psychologists on the CAMHS database are on the Psychology database and similarly for Psychologists with a child and adolescent target age on the Psychology database are in the CAMHS database.
Data Validation check
As part of the final check before final analysis for the data products, the excel data tables are updated as draft and excel data validation is undertaken to check for anomalies. If any anomalies are found, this is further checked with the data providers and changes are made in the final extract with a document highlighting the changes, the date and the reason the changes are made.
2. Vacancies
The quarterly updated vacancy template is emailed to the data providers with a request for completion within a period of one week, after the staff lists are confirmed and final extract is taken. The vacancy template is an excel file with data validations to prevent missing or incorrect information as far as possible when the data provider completes it. The template has one tab for posts that were advertised as at the census date and a second tab for posts that were approved for recruitment but not yet advertised. Vacant posts sent for approval but not yet approved and health boards with no vacancies are also recorded. Any errors or missing information are manually checked and confirmed with the data providers before finalising the data for publication.
Once all the vacancy data are returned, CAMHS and CPS checks are undertaken to ensure all psychology vacancies in CAMHS are in psychology vacancy extract and all psychology vacancies under child and adolescent target age are in CAMHS extract.
3. Staff in Training
Medical Psychiatry Trainees data within CAMHS for each census date, is obtained as a report from Training Programme administrator from the Turas Training Programme Management system.
NES Trainee extract is obtained from NES Psychology data administrator from the Turas Programme Management system , which contains a list of all past and present trainees on a range of courses including the MSc Applied Psychology for Children and Young People, MSc Psychological Therapy in Primary Care, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at both Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities, Stage 2 Health Psychology Training and Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists.
New trainees are added in the following quarters:
September publication - Medical trainees and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology trainees who start in either September or October of that year.
December publication - Doctorate in Clinical Psychology trainees and Child Psychotherapists.
March publication – Trainees studying MSc in Applied Psychology for Children and Young people.
The trainee data obtained are checked manually for any duplications, missing information and any other errors. This is queried with the data provider and confirmed before analysing the data.
Once all the files are updated, NES CAMHS and Psychology workforce analysts cross checks the Data tables and Dashboards before sending the final files to the project lead for final approval.
Early Release Access
The two-week preview of the Official Statistics Psychology publication is an overview of the Psychology workforce data by board, professional group and target age. It is provided under embargo to contacts in the boards to verify their data are accurate, in advance of the pre-release one week later and public release two weeks later. Any errors notified at this stage will be further checked and confirmed with the data providers.
Pre-Release
Under the terms of the Pre release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008, NES is obliged to publish information on those receiving pre-release Access. Pre-release access refers to statistics in their final form prior to publication. The standard maximum pre-release access is five working days. If any discrepancies are notified, further checks will be undertaken and rectified.
Publication
On the publication day, the files are all further checked for any errors before confirming the publication in Turas Data Intelligence area.