Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Working Group: final report

Implementation and governance routes

The Group strongly recommend that the recommendations made in this report are implemented to respond to the significant, and recognised challenges facing psychiatry in NHS Scotland. The full list of recommendations can be found in Annex A.

Further to that, they recommend that implementation should be prioritised, whilst noting the need to agree timescales and mechanisms for review. To achieve this, they recommend the establishment of an implementation group made up of experts including RCPsychiS, NES, CWS, SMMPG, Health Board/ IJB representation and relevant Scottish Government policy officials in order to drive delivery. There is an expectation that the setting up of an implementation group and agreed governance routes would be achieved within three months of the recommendations being considered by Scottish Ministers.

To support the longevity of the recommendations it is expected that the implementation would continue into the next parliamentary term.

Scottish Government Position:

The Group are aware that the Report’s published recommendations will be considered by Scottish Ministers as well as NES, NHS Health Boards/ IJBs and RCPsychiS and other partners.

Following publication Scottish Ministers will assess and respond to these recommendations, including those relating to implementation.