NHSScotland CAMHS Workforce

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 31 March 2022, 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 2022:

• There were 1,172.3 WTE (1347 Headcount) staff in post within NHSScotland CAMHS, an increase of 79.3% since 2006, 18% since 31 March 2016, 8.7% since March 2021 and 6.6% since last quarterly census. This is an increase of 16% within the Psychology professional group, 0.6% within the Nursing professional group and decrease of 2% within the Medical professional group since March 2021 census. Of the total staff in post, 4.5% (53 WTE) of staff were on maternity/paternity leave and 1.2% (13.8 WTE) were on long-term sick leave.
• There were 830.7 WTE (70.9%) CAMHS staff working in whole-time posts and 341.6 WTE (29.1%) working in part-time posts, an increase of 12.1% in whole-time posts and 1.3% in part-time posts since March 2021 census. Within the Medical professional group, 57.2% of staff worked part-time, compared to 41.8% in the Psychology professional group and 15.3% in the Nursing professional group.
• Of the total NHSScotland CAMHS workforce, 1010.7 WTE (86.2%) were female staff and 160.6 WTE (13.7%) were male staff. This is an increase of 9.1% of female staff and 6.6% of male staff since March 2021 census and an increase of 7.6% of female staff and 2.5% of male staff since last quarterly census.
• There were 215.7 WTE vacancies advertised of which 48.4% of vacancies were in the Psychology professional group, 39.6% of vacancies were in the Nursing professional group and 6.4% were in Medical professional group. The WTE of vacancies increased by 13.5% since last quarterly census. Of the total vacancies advertised, 69.5% were advertised for less than 3 months, 15.5% were advertised for 3- 6 months and 15% were advertised for more than 6 months. A further 61.9 WTE were approved for recruitment but not yet advertised.
• Of the total 215.7 WTE vacancies advertised,66.3% (143.2 WTE)were advertised as new posts,32.6% (70.3WTE)were advertised as replacement posts,0.6% (1.2WTE) were for maternity/paternity cover and 0.5% (1WTE)were for other/secondment posts. The total vacancy rate of 15.5 % is the highest rate that has been observed since data collection began, compared to 14.7% for the last quarterly census and 6.3% for March 2021 census.