CAMHS Workforce NHSScotland

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 30 September 2020, 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 2020:

• There were 1,066.4 WTE staff in post within NHSScotland CAMHS, an increase of 63.1% since 2006, 7.3% since 31 March 2016, and an increase of 2.2% since 30 September 2019 census. This is an increase of 8.3% within the Psychology professional group and a decrease of 0.4% within the Nursing professional group and a decrease of 2.1% within the Medical professional group since September 2019 census. Of the total staff in post, 4.2% of staff were on maternity leave and 1.9% were on long term sick leave.

• There were 722.2 WTE (67.7%) CAMHS staff working in whole-time posts and 344.2 WTE (32.3%) working in part-time posts, an increase 3.3% in part-time posts and 2% in whole-time posts since September 2019 census. Within the Medical professional group, 57.1% of staff worked part-time, compared to 48.1% in the Psychology professional group and 16.7% in the Nursing professional group.

• Of the total NHSScotland CAMHS workforce, 904.6 WTE (84.8%) were female staff and 155.0 WTE (14.5%) were male staff. This is a decrease of 3.3% of male staff and increase of 2.8% of female staff since last year census and decrease of 4.7% of male staff and decrease of 0.8% of female staff since June 2020 census.

• There were 65.4 WTE vacancies of which 41.3% of vacancies were in the Psychology professional group and 39.4% of vacancies were in the Nursing professional group. The WTE of vacancies decreased by 40.6% since September 2019 census and increased by 84% since March 2016 census. Of the total vacancies advertised, 75.4% were advertised for less than 3 months, 15.3% were advertised for 3- 6 months and 9.3% were advertised for more than 6 months.