Health and Care Staffing in Scotland

Scottish Government (SG) have published statutory guidance  to accompany the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) in collaboration with SG have developed a series of Quick Guides to compliment the statutory guidance relating to NHS services. 

The aim of these quick guides is to:

• Provide a quick and easy resource for staff to access
• Provide a simple explanation of parts of the legislation
• Provide practical examples and actions for boards and services

You can also access the Health and Care Staffing Act Sway presentation, which gives a concise overview of all parts of the Act.

Statutory Guidance: Quick Guides: 

• Guiding principles
• Planning or securing the provision of healthcare from others
• 12IA: Duty to ensure appropriate staffing
• 12IB: Duty to ensure appropriate staffing: agency workers
• 12IC; 12ID; 12IE: Real-time staffing and risk escalation
• 12IF: Duty to seek clinical advice on staffing
• 12IH: Duty to ensure adequate time given to clinical leaders
• 12II: Duty to ensure appropriate staffing: training of staff
• 12IJ; 12IK; 12IL: The Common Staffing Method (CSM)
• 12IM: Reporting on staffing

Independent Contractors: Quick Guides: 

• What does the Act mean for independent dental contractors
• What does the Act mean for independent GP contractors
• What does the Act mean for independent optometry contractors
• What does the Act mean for independent pharmacy contractors 

Sector- / Staff-Specific Quick Guides

• What does the Act mean for hospice care providers
• What does the Act mean for integration authorities
• What does the Act mean for  Health Boards, Special Health Boards, NHS NSS when planning or securing health care from others
• What does the Act mean for local authorities & integration authorities when planning or securing care services from others
• What does the Act mean for NHS Board members
• What does the Act mean for NHS multi-disciplinary teams
• What does the Act mean for occupational therapists
• What does the Act mean for NHS clinical and operational leaders
• What does the Act mean for NHS staff 
• What does the Act mean for workforce planning in health care
• What does the Act mean for agency workers

Complimentary Quick Guides: 

• FACTS Quick Guide (pdf)
• Rostering: A Good Practice Quick Guide (SWAY)
• Effective Rostering Quick Guide (PDF)
• The Common Staffing Method: A Quick Guide (SWAY)
• Skill Mix Quick Guide (SWAY)
• Real Time Staffing Quick Guide (SWAY)