As of 1st October 2019, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has taken responsibility for some national workforce data, statistical & intelligence functions. A joint letter 
[346Kb] from the Chief Executives of NSS and NES, dated 23rd August 2019, details the rationale for the changes and arrangements for the transfer of these functions. Further details on the plan for this transition can be obtained by contacting datagroup@nes.scot.nhs.uk or nss.isdwfdinfo@nhs.net
A variety of information on staff employed in NHSScotland is collected centrally, an overview of which can be found in the dashboards and tables available on this website. The information collected and presented within this section is used by NES and NHS Boards to support local, regional and national workforce planning, and will only be used and disclosed in connection with these purposes.
Voluntary Application of the Code of Practice
Since the publication of workforce statistics on 3 December 2019, NES has been named in legislation as a producer of official statistics. For the December 2019 publication NES voluntarily applied the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Statistics and worked to ensure full continuity in producing the NHS Workforce statistics according to the three pillars of the code of practice.
Trustworthiness
Having confidence in the people and organisations that produce statistics and data.
- NES has a strong background in producing workforce statistics and has recently expanded its team of analysts. Several members of the new NES data team have previously worked either in the ISD Workforce Intelligence team or in other ISD teams responsible for producing National Statistics. They have brought knowledge and experience of the data and a firm grasp of the requirements for producing official and national statistics.
- Throughout the transition period, NES has maintained contact with key NSS and ISD colleagues involved in workforce intelligence and workforce information systems.
- The Head of Profession for Statistics for NHS NSS, NHS24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service is now also Head of Profession for NES.
- NES receives support and training from the NSS ISD Statistical Governance Team
Quality
Using data and methods that produce assured statistics.
Throughout these early stages of the transfer of responsibilities NES has worked closely with colleagues in ISD in order to:
- Shadow colleagues in the ISD Workforce Intelligence team
- Study and discuss the standard operating procedures relating to each aspect of data processing and analysis
- Understand and continue to apply the quality assurance processes to the input and output data
- Become familiar with data systems and the data processing code base
NES has used the same data sources used by ISD for publishing workforce statistics prior to the transfer of responsibilities. The ISD Standard Operating processes have also been adhered to, and the existing codebase and processing tools have been used and only modified to improve performance or to implement ongoing, operational improvements
Value
Producing statistics that support society’s need for information.
NES has produced all the quarterly statistics updates expected by stakeholders and in the established reporting formats. NES has begun to work with various stakeholder and project groups who would previously have been supported by ISD. This will ensure NES remains informed about stakeholder interests and priorities and can be responsive to changes and new requirements, as well as leading innovation and improvement in close consultation with current and potential users.
The following three publications, published on 3rd March 2020 with data as at 31st December 2019, are produced by NES:
Psychology
The NES Data Group publishes quarterly reports on all staff working within Psychology services in NHSScotland for census dates at 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. A secure web-based system is used to collect data, which allows each NHS board to access, add, amend and terminate records directly on a database held centrally by National Services Scotland (NSS).
For each Psychology Workforce publication, data are presented as a full report, summary and background tables. These provide information on:
- The Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) and headcount of all Applied Psychologists working in NHSScotland.
- The WTE and headcount of other clinical staff, including Clinical Associates, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Assistant Psychologists and Other Therapists.
- Characteristics of the workforce (including area of work, target age, age and gender)
- Vacancies within NHSScotland Psychology Services
- Staff in training.
Publication
The full report , summary and tables 
were published on 3 March 2020 with data as at 31 December 2019.
The 3 December 2019 publication is available on our publication archive page.
Publications prior to 3 December 2019 can be accessed via the ISD Workforce publications page.
Psychology Workforce Contacts:
Email:
nss.mentalhealthwf@nhs.net
Datagroup@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Liz Jamieson
Workforce Information Manager
0131 656 3301
Anita George
Information Analyst Business Partner
0131 275 6497
Elizabeth Fowler
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6566
James Thom
Senior Information Analyst
0141 223 1400
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide essential services for children and young people (and their parents/carers) who are experiencing serious mental health problems. CAMHS also support the mental health capability of the wider network of children's services. Practitioners who contribute to CAMHS include Psychiatric Nurses, Clinical Psychologists, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, and Therapists.
The NES data group publish quarterly reports on all staff working within CAMHS services in NHSScotland for census dates at 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. The data are collected and verified by CAMHS lead clinicians using a national database held centrally at NSS.
For each CAMHS Workforce report, data are presented as a full report, summary and background tables. These provide information on:
- The Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) and headcount of clinical staff in post, overall and by health board.
- The WTE and headcount of CAMHS staff by professional group.
- Vacant posts.
- Target age groups and areas of work.
- Staff in training.
Publication
The full report , summary and tables were published on 3rd March 2020 with data as at 31 December 2019.
The 3 December 2019 publication is available on our publication archive page.
Publications prior to 3 December 2019 can be accessed via the ISD CAMHS page.
CAMHS Workforce Contacts:
Email:
nss.mentalhealthwf@nhs.net
Datagroup@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Liz Jamieson
Workforce Information Manager
0131 656 3301
Anita George
Information Analyst Business Partner
0131 275 6497
Elizabeth Fowler
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6566
James Thom
Senior Information Analyst
0141 223 1400
Core Workforce
The NES Data Group collect, analyse and report on the workforce employed within NHSScotland for census dates at 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. The data presented within the reports, tables and dashboards incorporates all staff employed directly by NHS Boards and excludes those working as independent contractors, such as locums and general medical practitioners (GPs).
The NES Data Group publishes information quarterly on the:
- Trends for all staff in post across all job families incorporating indicators such as age, gender, contract type, Agenda for Change band, grade, and specialty where applicable
- Vacancy numbers for nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and consultants
Bi-annually on the:
- Number of NHS dentists split by age, gender and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
and annually on the:
- Nursing and midwifery student intakes, students in training and progression rates
- Number of Advanced Nurse Practitioners split by Agenda for Change band
- Number of Clinical nurse specialists split by age, gender, contract type and specialty (currently under review)
- Consultant contract detail including information on signed off job plans and programmed activities
- Number of joiners, leavers and net turnover rate across all job families and NHS Boards
- Hours and cost of Bank and Agency for Nursing and Midwifery staff and Medical Agency Locum spend
- Sickness absence rate by NHS Board
- Equality and diversity information by NHS Board
Publication
The summary and dashboards were published on 3rd March 2020 with data as at 31st December 2019. The tables for this publication are found via the following links:
Overall trend
Medical trend
Non-Medical trend
Staff Turnover (last updated March 2019)
Sickness Absence (last updated March 2019)
Equality and Diversity (last updated March 2019)
Medical agency (last updated March 2019)
Consultant Contract
Dentists
Advanced Nurse Practitioners
Clinical Nurse Specialists (last updated September 2018)
Nursing and Midwifery progression rates
Nursing and Midwifery - student intakes and students in training
Pharmacy vacancies
The 3 December 2019 publication is available on our publication archive page.
Publications prior to 3 December 2019 can be accessed via the ISD Workforce publication page.
Core Workforce Contacts
Email:
nss.isdwfdinfo@nhs.net
Datagroup@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Peter Ward
Senior Specialist Information Analyst
0131 656 3406
Morag Macpherson
Specialist Data and Information Analyst
0131 656 3287
Ben Tait
Specialist Data and Information Analyst
0131 656 4251