Recruitment & Retention Programmes 2025-2026
On this page you will find details of the programmes of work currently in progress under our Recruitment and Retention pillar. This page will be updated throughout the year to include up-to-date information about how each programme is progressing.
If you have any questions about any of our programmes, please contact us on nes.ruralteam@nhs.scot
Highland Community Engagement Officer project
The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care (the Centre) is supporting the delivery and evaluation of a Community Engagement Officer role as part of the “Work on Skye” recruitment and retention project. This is a community-led, multi-agency initiative designed to address workforce challenges in the area.
The project is one of several being delivered by the Centre’s Phase 1 team across remote, rural and island communities. While each project supports local needs, they are also intended to generate learning that can be applied more widely across Scotland.
The work on Skye is a collaboration between NHS Highland, the local community, the community trust, and the Centre. A dedicated recruitment group has been established to lead this work, with a range of activities already underway. The Centre provides practical support to both the Community Engagement Officer role and the wider group, while also evaluating the impact of the work being carried out.
Overall, the programme aims to improve the recruitment and retention of health and care staff in Skye. Up until March 2025, the Centre supported the project in practical ways to help drive improvements and deliver meaningful results. At the same time, it evaluated outcomes to understand what worked well, for whom, and why.
The findings are intended to benefit not only Skye but also other remote, rural and island communities. By sharing the results across Scotland, other areas can learn from and adapt successful approaches. A final report detailing the outcomes of the programme is available to view and download at NHS Highland Skye Recruitment Group Evaluation Framework | Turas | Learn.
