CAMHS Workforce NHSScotland

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 31 March 2021, 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 2021:

• There were 1,078.2 WTE staff in post within NHSScotland CAMHS, an increase of 64.9% since 2006, 8.5% since 31 March 2016, 3.6% since 31 March 2020 and an increase of 0.9% since 31 December 2020 census. This is an increase of 6.8% within the Psychology professional group and 3.5% within the Nursing professional group and a decrease of 5.5% within the Medical professional group since March 2020 census. Of the total staff in post, 4.8% of staff were on maternity/paternity leave and 1.5% were on long term sick leave.

• There were 740.9 WTE (68.7%) CAMHS staff working in whole-time posts and 337.3 WTE (31.3%) working in part-time posts, an increase of 6.3% in whole-time posts and decrease of 1.7% in part-time posts since March 2020 census. Within the Medical professional group, 58.1% of staff worked part-time, compared to 46.2% in the Psychology professional group and 15.9% in the Nursing professional group.

• Of the total NHSScotland CAMHS workforce, 926.2 WTE (85.9%) were female staff and 150.6 WTE (14%) were male staff. This is a decrease of 6.7% of male staff and an increase of 5.6% of female staff since last year census and decrease of 2.1% of male staff and increase of 2.2% of female staff since December 2020 census.

• There were 72.7 WTE vacancies of which 53.2% of vacancies were in the Psychology professional group and 30.4% of vacancies were in the Nursing professional group. The WTE of vacancies increased by 1.4% since last quarter census. Of the total vacancies advertised, 77.3% were advertised for less than 3 months, 16.9% were advertised for 3- 6 months and 5.8% were advertised for more than 6 months.