Psychology Workforce NHSScotland

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides a quarterly update, as at 31 March, on the Psychology Services workforce staff in post and vacant posts. 

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.

As at 31 March 2022:

• Within Psychology Services in NHSScotland, there were a total of 1431.1 WTE (1714 headcount) clinical staff in post. This is 9.2% (120.5 WTE) higher than reported 12 months previously. Since the last quarterly census, the WTE of staff in post has increased by 5.3% (71.9 WTE).
• Clinical Psychologists remain the largest staff group in this workforce, accounting for 59.2% (846.9 WTE) of clinical staff in post. Since 31 March 2021, this staff group has grown by 23.1 WTE (2.8%).
• Out of the total of 264.9 WTE advertised vacancies, 72% (190.6 WTE) had been advertised for less than three months, 19.1% (50.6 WTE) for three to six months and 8.9% (23.7 WTE) for longer than six months. The vacancy rate was 15.6%, compared to 12.3% at 31 December 2021 and 10.7% at 31 March 2021.
• In early 2022, 37 students graduated from the MSc in Psychological Therapy in Primary care, and 30 graduated from the MSc in Applied Psychology for Children and Young People. This compares with an average yearly graduation figure of 24 for the MSCPTPC and 19 for the MSCAPCYP. The probabilities of completing these courses within two years of starting are 0.95 and 0.97 respectively.