The Information Services Division Scotland has published results from the 2019 Primary Care Out of Hours Workforce Survey. The survey provides key information to support workforce planning for Out of Hours (OoH) services. All 14 NHS Boards participated in the survey.
Key findings from the report are as follows:
- The headcount of GPs within the Primary Care OoH services in Scotland for the year ending 15 November 2019 was 1879, which corresponds to an estimated whole time equivalent of 329.6.
- Nine per cent of the GPs clocked ≥1000 hours over the year, with their total annual hours accounting for 45 per cent of the total GP hours worked.
- Eight NHS Boards had to implement additional measures at least weekly to ensure shifts are filled, either through extension of shifts, having nurses cover GP shifts or vice versa or by providing additional financial incentives.
- GPs aged >55 years clocked a higher average number of hours per week in Primary Care OoH services compared with their younger counterparts.
- Although there has been an increase in the proportion of female GPs in the OoH workforce, the mean hours worked for female GPs remains lower their male counterparts across all age groups.
- There has been a steady increase in the number of nurses employed or directly managed by Primary Care OoH services since 2015.
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