Psychology Workforce NHSScotland

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

As at 31 December 2022:

• There were a total of 1511.5 WTE (1813 headcount) clinical staff in post. This is 11.2% (152.2 WTE) higher than reported 12 months previously. Since the last quarterly census, the WTE of staff in post has increased by 2.3% (33.5 WTE).
• There were a total of 950.9 WTE (1182 headcount) Applied Psychologists in post: an increase of 3.1% (28.4 WTE) from 31 December 2021 and 2.0% (19.0 WTE) from 30 September 2022. The biggest increase was in Psychology Assistant roles. As at 31 December 2022, 165.8 WTE (172 headcount) Psychology Assistants were in post in NHSScotland. This is an increase of 73.2% (70.1 WTE) from 31 December 2021 and 6.1% (9.5 WTE) from 30 September 2022.
• The majority of staff held a permanent contract: 81.9% (1238.0 WTE) as at 31 December 2022, compared to 83.1% (1129.0 WTE) at 31 December 2021 and 81.6% (1205.7 WTE) at 30 September 2022. However, this does vary by role. As at 31 December 2022, 89.8% (853.9 WTE) of Applied Psychologists were on a permanent contract, compared to 80.8% (159.1 WTE) of Clinical Associates and 34.3% (56.9 WTE) of Psychology Assistants.
• There were 204.5 WTE advertised vacancies, which is 7.1% (13.5 WTE) higher than 31 December 2021 and -2.9% (-6.1 WTE) lower than 30 September 2022. Of these vacancies, 52.9% (108.2 WTE) had been advertised for less than three months, 25.0% (51.1 WTE) for three to six months and 22.1% (45.2 WTE) for longer than six months. The vacancy rate was 11.9%, compared to 12.5% at 30 September 2022 and 12.3% at 31 December 2021.