Scottish Government / National Centre Stakeholder Engagement Network

Recruitment & Retention Programmes 2024-2025

Scottish Government / National Centre Stakeholder Engagement Network

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Project background: What and Why

In March 2022, the Scottish Government (SG) published the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care which sets out five pillars of workforce: Plan, Attract, Train, Employ, and Nurture. Under the ‘Plan’ pillar, the strategy commits to developing a Rural and Islands Workforce Recruitment Strategy for Health and Social Care by the end of 2024. The aim of the strategy is to provide a framework which supports the needs of people living and working in rural and island communities.

The work of the The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care (the Centre) under the recruitment and retention pillar is closely aligned with the work being carried out by SG, and so there is mutual benefit in the SG and the Centre working collaboratively on this project to share knowledge and experience.

A stakeholder network has been established, co-organised by SG colleagues and the Centre, which meets monthly and is attended by stakeholders from a broad range of organisations across Scotland representing all aspects of health and care related roles.

Project description: Who and How

Scottish Government colleagues and team members from the Centre meet at weekly ‘internal’ meetings to agree the format and agenda items for the monthly stakeholder workshops. These monthly workshops typically include a selection of presentations from colleagues with experience or expertise in a particular area related to recruitment and retention, followed by focus group discussions or Q&A sessions among the wider group to share knowledge and ideas.

Following each stakeholder workshop, any discussions, questions and comments are compiled and shared so that the findings can be compiled to contribute towards respective organisation’s strategies and programmes of work.

Expected outcome: When and What Difference

The Rural and Islands Workforce Recruitment Strategy is scheduled for publication at the end of 2024, however the Centre would aim to maintain the stakeholder network and continue to host workshops and discussions as a forum for knowledge and ideas exchange.

Recruitment and retention issues are the key challenges facing remote, rural and island service provision. The significant challenges of lone working and difficulty arranging cover for leave, training or professional development contribute to the working pressures for health and social care practitioners and the fragility of rural service provision. In projects such as this, the Centre is developing an ongoing programme of work in collaboration with key partners that promotes, evaluates and shares a range of established and new approaches to improve support for and recruitment and retention of multidisciplinary remote, rural and island practitioners to assist with sustainable and improved service delivery across Scotland.

Building and maintaining a network of cross-disciplinary and cross-organisation stakeholders will support recruitment and retention focused programmes of work in the Centre and help towards creating rural workforce stability.