Primary Care Out of Hours Workforce Survey
2024 Annual Survey
Official Statistics
Published: 10 December 2024
About this release
This publication from NHS Education for Scotland (NES) presents results from the 2024 Primary Care Out of Hours (OOH) Workforce Survey which has been designed to capture information from the Primary Care OOH services in each NHS Board area. The survey is designed to give an evidence base for workforce planning for OOH services.
The report provides information including:
- General Practitioners (GPs) and nurses working in Primary Care Out of Hours services in the past year
- Challenges and experiences in filling shifts in the past year
- Use of multi-disciplinary teams within Out of Hours
Main Points
During the year ending 31 March 2024:
- The number of GPs working in Primary Care Out of Hours (OOH) services was 1,577. This is an increase from the 2023 survey of 48 (3.1%). The total hours worked over the year has increased by 7.1% to 561,372 hours.
- Approximately 10% of GPs working in OOH services worked approximately 45% of the total hours recorded. This was in keeping with the previous years survey.
- The OOH GP workforce was 53% female, although male GPs were recorded as providing 56% of the total GP hours worked.
- The average weekly input to services was 6.8 hours for all GPs, a slight increase from 6.6 hours the previous year.
- The average weekly input was 8.6 hours for male GPs and 5.1 for females. Older GPs tend to work more weekly hours in OOH services than younger GPs.
- The number of nurses working in OOH services was 331, working a total of 300,371. The headcount has decreased from the 2023 survey by 23, although the number of hours over the year increased by 33,058 hours.
- Most nurses working in OOH services are Band 7 (54%).
- Healthcare Support Worker was the most common multidisciplinary team role in OOH services, reported by nine Boards in total and being used for either all shifts or more than 50% of shifts by six of them.
-
Most NHS Boards reported that not all shifts were filled as planned for shifts in the year ending 31 March 2024.
OOH GP Headcount in each Board the year ending 31 March 2024
Background
This survey has been developed over recent years in partnership with a range of stakeholders including: the Scottish General Practitioners’ Committee, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Nursing and the Scottish Practice Nurse Association.
Further Information
The results of previous surveys prior to 2023 have been published by Public Health Scotland (PHS), and the results of earlier surveys can be found on PHS’s website.