Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what research has been conducted on the feedback received regarding the first 30-minute reduction in working hours in 2024 for Agenda for Change staff in the NHS, and what assessment has been made of the impact of the reduction.
Extensive research was undertaken on the impact of the first 30 minute reduction of the working week for Agenda for Change staff. This included its impact on maintaining system performance, meeting legislative requirements around safe staffing and the delivery of planned initiatives to support service recovery.
On review of this research it was clear that, to avoid unacceptable levels of risk to service resilience and patient safety, introducing the remaining hour on 1 April 2026 would be the most appropriate option. This also upholds the Scottish Government's commitment made in the 2023-24 Agenda for Change pay deal.