Psychology Workforce NHSScotland

This release by Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) provides a quarterly update, as at 31 March 2026, on the Psychology Services workforce staff in post, vacant posts and staff in training.

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

At 31 March 2026:  

• There were a total of 1749.3 WTE (2112 headcount) clinical staff in post. This is an increase of 0.9% (15.7 WTE) since the previous quarter, an increase of 1.3% (21.8 WTE) from the previous year, and an increase of 62.1% (670.3 WTE) since the previous decade. Of the total staff in post, 4.5% of staff were on maternity/paternity leave and 1% were on long-term sick leave.
• Applied Psychologists were the largest staff group in this workforce, accounting for 63.2% (1106.2 WTE) of clinical staff in post. Since last year, this staff group has grown by 28.2 WTE (2.6%). Other Clinical Staff, comprising Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology, Psychology Assistants and other therapists, accounted for 36.8% (643.1 WTE) of clinical staff in post. Since last year, this staff group has decreased by -6.5 WTE (-1%).
• There were 87.5% (1531.2 WTE) working in permanent posts, 9.9% (172.8 WTE) working in fixed-term less than two years posts and 2.6% (45.3 WTE) working in fixed-term more than two years posts. This is an increase of 3.8% (56 WTE) for permanent posts and decrease of -13.6% (-34.2 WTE) for fixed-term posts since the previous year.
• The vacancy rate was 4.5% (78.9WTE), an increase in vacant posts of 36.9WTE over the last year and an increase of 22.5 WTE over the last quarter. A further 31.2 WTE vacancies were approved for recruitment but not yet advertised and 39.4 WTE had not yet been approved for recruitment. The majority of advertised vacancies, 65.1%, had been advertised for less than three months, 17.5% for three to six months, and 17.4% for longer than six months.