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NHS workforce planning
14/12/2007
A strategy to ensure the NHS workforce is fit for the future was published today.
Better Health, Better Care: Planning for Tomorrow's Workforce Today will ensure that workforce planning supports the principles set out in the Scottish Government's Action Plan for Health and Wellbeing.
The plan will ensure that the NHS has the right staff in the right place, with the right skills at the right time in order to deliver high quality care and services to the people of Scotland.
The training numbers for doctors, nurses and midwives are also set out, to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff being trained to meet future service need.
Further investment of £10 million will be provided for 150 extra posts in GP training.
This will ensure that there is continuity in service provision and medical training because the length of time GPs spend in primary care during their training has also been increased.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon also announced that from September 2008, £5 million a year will be invested in improving support for nursing and midwifery students throughout their training experience.
This funding will come from a reduction in nursing and midwifery student numbers in the first year of training in 2008/09.
We expect this measure will increase the number of students who complete their course, ensuring that by the end of their training, we have as many, if not more, nurses qualifying than before.
These training numbers have been agreed with unions, NHS colleagues and universities, and will ensure an appropriate supply of newly qualified nurses and midwives to meet our future health service demand.
The importance of investment in education and training, in relation to the existing workforce and for the future, is at the heart of the strategy.
Ms Sturgeon said: "Significant achievements have been made in workforce planning over the past year. These stand NHS boards in good stead to face the new and emerging challenges outlines in the Better Health, Better Care Action Plan, such as personalised care and moving towards increased local delivery of healthcare.
"It is the first time at national level that a workforce plan has been linked to a service delivery plan for the future of the NHS and I firmly believe this is a vital development to ensure we have an NHS and a workforce that is fit for the future.
"At the heart of NHS Scotland are the thousands of committed, dedicated staff members who are proud to be part of the NHS. Better workforce planning means we can use the talents and experience of staff in the best possible way.
"Better workforce planning that directly supports the delivery of services in a way that is both sustainable and affordable will enable the NHS to take full advantage of a flexible and responsive workforce.
"This is what the strategy I am publishing today sets out and I am confident it will deliver real improvements right across the NHS for patients and staff."
Training numbers for 2008/09 are as follows:
Nursing and midwifery - 3060
Medical undergraduates - 834 (with an additional 66 places for overseas students.)
Dentists - 134