Question reference: S5W-02088
- Date lodged: 22 August 2016
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Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 September 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is to recruit for any unfilled psychiatrist posts and encourage more people into the profession and what specific action it is taking to recruit for NHS (a) Grampian and (b) Tayside.
Answer
It is for health boards to plan and deliver clinical services and ensure that they have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of their services and ensure high quality patient care.
The Scottish Government works closely with all boards to support their staff recruitment efforts.
Under this Government, the number of consultants with psychiatry specialties in NHS Grampian has increased by 18 per cent. The number of consultants with psychiatry specialties in NHS Tayside has increased by 42.6 per cent.
In 2016-17, NHS Tayside’s resource budget has increased by 5.8% to £699.1 million, an above inflation increase, having previously increased by 2.5% in 2015-16. Decide if we are putting into background or answer.
In 2016-17, NHS Grampian’s resource budget has increased by 6.6% to £882.3 million, an above inflation – the highest uplift of any territorial board, having previously increased by 6.3% in 2015-16.
The Scottish Government recognise that Scotland does experience particular recruitment and retention difficulties due to the remote and rural nature of parts of the geographic landscape. To address this, boards can use either the UK or the Scotland only Shortage Occupation List (SOL) to recruit internationally to any of the medical occupations listed, including Psychiatrists where evidence of shortages exist.