NHSScotland workforce

This release by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides Phase two of the quarterly update, as at 31 March 2024. This includes the number of staff directly employed by NHS Scotland and the number of vacant posts there were for nursing and midwifery staff, allied health professions, and medical and dental consultants. When describing the size of a particular staff group figures are presented as headcount (actual number of staff) or whole time equivalent (WTE) which adjusts the headcount to take account of part time working.

Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) measures, including Whole time/part time breakdown, Vacancy rates and Sickness absence were excluded from phase one release because of an error with March 2024 WTE data. For more information on the process used to calculate the WTE and the Sickness absence for March 2024 and the impact of this, please read our Missing data methodology paper.

Total staff

• 161,153.4 staff employed by NHSScotland (187,157 HC)
  +0.4% quarter change  |  +3.2% 1 year change  |  +14.4% 5 year change  |  +18.8% 10 year change
  
  
• In the year ending 31 March 2024 there were:
  • 15,680.6 People who joined NHSScotland (WTE)
  • 9,922.8 People who left NHSScotland (WTE)

Turnover calculations exclude medical and dental staff who are on training grades. 

Medical and dental

• 6,035.2 number of consultants (WTE, excluding Directors)
  2.1% increase over the past year
  
  
• £129.6M spent on agency locums in the year ending 31 March 2024
  8.3% increase on the previous year
  
  
• 447.7 number of consultant vacancies (WTE)
  0.2% increase over the past year

Nursing and midwifery

• 67,168.3 number of staff (WTE)
  3.9% increase over the past year
  
  
• £490.0M spent on bank and agency staff in the year ending 31 March 2024
  9.5% increase on the previous year
  
  
• 3,382.5 number of vacancies (WTE)
  39.3% decrease over the past year

Allied health professions

• 14,028.6 number of staff (WTE)
  4.2% increase over the past year
  
  
• 664.4 number of vacancies (WTE)
  35.8% decrease over the past year

Administrative service

• 30,207.6 number of staff (WTE)
  3.1% increase over the past year