Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Working Group: final report

Annex A – recommendations

This report provides two lists of recommendations. The first list focusses on psychiatry training and trainee recruitment retention. The second list concentrates on the recommendations needed to attract, support and retain the substantive psychiatric workforce in NHS Scotland.

The working group strongly recommends the establishment of an implementation group, containing lead stakeholders, to oversee and monitor the progress against the recommendations made.

Phase 1: Psychiatry training and trainee recruitment recommendations

This list provides an outline of actions in progress and the Working Group’s view on next steps on psychiatry training and trainee recruitment. As noted earlier, the below actions will need further consideration by suggested owners to assess feasibility and impact.

Recommendation 1: NES to provide updates to the NES Digital data paper as needed to monitor the effectiveness of any follow up psychiatry recruitment and retention actions arising from this report.

Rationale: To monitor progress and the effectiveness of actions arising from this report.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Updated papers provided to implementation group according to frequency agreed by group and/or when requested.

Perception, Early Exposure and Training Experience

Recommendation 2: Continue the successful RCPsych(iS) Choose Psychiatry campaign.

Rationale: Support actions to develop a sustainable, high-quality experience.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPsych.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 3: Continue to support Medical School Psychiatry Societies, activities and events as well as local initiatives such as PEEPS (Psychiatry Early Experience Programme Scotland).

Rationale: Support actions to develop a sustainable, high-quality experience.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and RCPSYCHIS.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 4: Consider (a) drivers of the decisions being made by prospective psychiatry trainees, or existing trainees who are considering leaving the profession/moving to another specialty, and (b) whether targeted incentives may be necessary to retain existing trainees or encourage those at the early stages of their career to pursue a career in psychiatry.

Rationale: Support attraction and retention.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government, NES and RCPSYCHIS.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Core and Higher Speciality Training: Attraction and Flow-through

Recommendation 5: Recognise psychiatry as a priority specialty during ongoing future workforce planning work and work closely with the Implementation Group to ensure psychiatry inputs are adequately considered during this process.

Rationale: To support delivery of the future psychiatry workforce.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 6: Scottish Government and the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group to recognise the need for additional higher psychiatry training places (during the annual review of specialty training establishment process) and prioritise psychiatry if there are opportunities for expansion based on future workforce and service need.

Rationale: To support delivery of the future psychiatry workforce needs through the training pipeline.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government and Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 7: Prioritise psychiatry when moving to Whole Time Equivalency recruitment to account for LTFT training.

Rationale: To respond to the impacts of LTFT training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government and Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 8: Scottish Government and the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group to consider, through the annual review of specialty training establishment process, whether run-through numbers should increase further in future years and further programmes should be added as a way of reducing attrition and improving supply.

Rationale: To enable consideration of the effectiveness of these initiatives in supporting the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government and Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 9: Undertake a full evaluation of both run-through programmes and dual training posts which have already been established.

Rationale: To enable recommendation/s to be given on where these posts should be offered in the future (e.g. in hard-to-fill locations) and whether similar training pathways should be followed in other subspecialties e.g. Old Age Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Evaluation completed and presented to the Implementation Group.

Recommendation 10: NES to continue work on the optimum geographic distribution of HST posts in light of the issues and considerations set out by the Working Group and to support underfilled areas in NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Tayside and NHS Borders, keeping the option of time-limited redistribution to areas of high trainee demand under consideration.

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training across Scotland.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: HST and consultant vacancy fill rates across Scotland.

Recommendation 11: NES to continue development of the Psychiatry Jobs website ensuring inclusion of comprehensive information with regard to applying for, and transitioning to, Higher Specialty Training (as currently available in the North West England Deanery website as an example).

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Regular reporting to the Implementation Group on indicators such as website traffic, user statistics, clicks to assess content, development, and functionality.

Recommendation 12: NES to collate all national and local Higher Training opportunities and offer in a central location (e.g. a brochure or content within the Psychiatry Jobs website) as a way to further increase awareness of developmental prospects and help trainees gain more experience and build confidence as they progress through training.

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Development of resources, updated on a regular basis and signposted from psychiatryjobs.scot and mypsych/rcpsychis.

Recommendation 13: Explore potential funding options to conduct a formal evaluation of the Stepping up to ST4 pilot to facilitate decisions on next steps.

Rationale: To understand the effectiveness of this pilot in supporting trainee transition between core and higher specialty training so that next steps on implementation can be determined.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and Health Boards.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Pilot evaluation completed and taken to Implementation Group for consideration.

Recommendation 14: NES/RCPsych/RCPsychiS to explore regular skills courses aimed at CT3s to improve their preparedness for transition to higher training.

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and RCPsych.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 15: A specific focus on recruitment at CT3 with a buddy system / peer support / training supported by NES with active input from Medical Education in each board and embedding academic rigour and access to research support.

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 16: Active engagement with Clinical Fellows who have been in post for 1 year+ with active recruitment events and access to teaching/simulation training. Increase Clinical Teaching Fellow posts at CT3 in psychiatry and structured support for CT3+ resident doctors to ensure they stay in training.

Rationale: To support the transition from core to higher specialty training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES, Health Boards and RCPSYCH.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 17: RCPSYCH to explore/offer more structured exam preparation courses in the future.

Rationale: To support trainee progression and completion of training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPSYCH.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 18: NES to evaluate the effectiveness of locally run CASC sessions in Scotland (including in comparison to the Edge Hill University CASC Masterclass, when final evaluation data is available), considering factors including regional differences and attainment gaps for IMGs and UK ethnic minority trainees.

Rationale: To support trainee progression and completion of training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 19: Scottish Government and NES to consider on a national level how Clinical Development Fellow posts can be improved and utilised more effectively to promote development, attraction and capacity.

Rationale: To enable and support alternative pathways and career development opportunities.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government and NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 20: Consider joint working with universities to develop fixed term post doc posts for 2 years at 50:50 clinical: academic and jointly funded.

Rationale: To enable and support alternative pathways and career development opportunities.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards and Universities.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 21: CWS/NES to help NHS Boards with identifying the support structures needed to enable doctors to progress through the Portfolio Pathway (such as the structured Fellowship programme offered in NHS Grampian) including consideration of how they can support international doctors, as well as non-CCT (non-qualified) locums, and SAS doctors who are looking to progress into consultant roles.

Rationale: To enable and support Portfolio Pathways and career development opportunities.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: CWS/NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 22: NHS Boards and NES to review Portfolio Pathway opportunities and Fellowships and including exploration of ensuring a Portfolio Pathway tutor post in each recruiting board (to develop support network) and prioritise psychiatry in work to develop and expand Portfolio Pathways across Scotland.

Rationale: To enable and support Portfolio Pathways and career development opportunities.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards and NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Business case on Portfolio Pathway approaches.

Recommendation 23: RCPSYCH to progress the rollout of e-Portfolios, including consideration of whether time spent in posts out with training can be counted towards progression.

Rationale: To enable and support Portfolio Pathways and career development opportunities.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPSYCH.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Supervision of Trainees

Recommendation 24: NHS Boards to follow the RCPsych Recognition and Approval of Trainers guidance and explore the implementation of relevant supervision flexibilities and options set out therein in order to improve supervision capacity and quality.

Rationale: To increase supervision capacity and quality.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 25: NES Development Team to promote RCPSYCH guidance and support SAS colleagues who wish to become clinical or educational supervisors.

Rationale: To increase supervision capacity and quality.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and RCPSYCH.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Recommendation 26: NES and NHS Boards to identify and promote across the system good practice examples of how clinical supervision can be delivered in the context of high consultant vacancies. NES encouraged to provide accurate guidance about the time required in job plans for consultants and SAS doctors who are clinical and educational supervisors. This should include direct supervision as well as the time required to complete forms, liaise with other supervisors, attend Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP) etc.

Rationale: To increase supervision capacity and quality.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and Health Boards.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: To be considered by implementation group.

Phase 2: Recruitment and retention - recommendations

The table below is a list of recommendations made by the working group. It is strongly recommended that once an Implementation Group is established it will determine implementation timescales for the recommendations below and how these will be reviewed. 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 will continue into the next parliamentary term.

Governance around implementation of recommendations – establishment of necessary structures to support implementation of recommendations within the agreed timescales determined by the implementation group

Recommendation 1: Implementation group to be established. Stakeholders to include Scottish Government, NES, CWS, RCPsychiS, SMMPG and Health Board/IJB representation.

Rationale: To monitor the delivery and impact of recommendations.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Group established and operational within three months of recommendations being considered by Scottish Ministers.

Recommendation 2: Develop Governance routes to drive implementation of recommendations (including at Board level).

Rationale: To ensure appropriate routes for escalation.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Mechanism for escalation established and operational.

Job Plans – ensuring that jobs remain attractive and support retention

Recommendation 3: There should be a move away from the recruitment of consultant psychiatrists on 9:1 job plan, recognising the challenges unique to the speciality.

Rationale: To aid attractiveness of consultant posts in Scotland and to support time for allocated learning, development and training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/ IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: All new posts will be advertised without 9:1 job plans bringing Scotland back in line with existing terms and conditions for consultants. Monitored through existing and agreed mechanisms and reported to the implementation group.

Recommendation 4: All existing substantive Consultant psychiatrist posts should move away from 9:1 job plans if desired by the individual. Noting the need to recognise and respond to clinical capacity.

Rationale: To aid retention and to support time for allocated learning, development and training.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/ IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: All consultants will have moved away from 9:1 job plans if that is desired by the individual. Monitored through existing and agreed mechanisms and reported to implementation group.

Recommendation 5: Recognising the impact such a move could have on broader capacity - Boards should consider how alternative approaches to service delivery and staffing models taken forward through the development of Target Operating Models/Service Specifications could be utilised to ensure no detriment to patients.

Rationale: Consideration on unintended consequences and recognising need for expanded clinical capacity.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/ IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reported improvements in retention and in patient experience.

Recommendation 6: Tripartite Joint Negotiation Committee to consider evidence and recommendations made in this report.

Rationale: To ensure the challenges facing psychiatry are highlighted within these wider discussions.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government, BMA and NHS Employers.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: The committee consider and acknowledge the report.

Recommendation 7: To work alongside local service plans, in the context of planned retirement and job planning, discussions with employees should take place for psychiatrists over 50 years old. Taking into consideration experience, skills and length of service.

Rationale: To inform workforce planning and succession planning.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Workforce report changes in practice.

Realistic workloads – defining workable job plans to aid in the retention and recruitment of psychiatric workforce in order to provide safe, high-quality care and treatment

Recommendation 8: Supports the development of explicit guidance on what a reasonable workload looks like in psychiatry. Develop Target Operating Models/Service specifications for general adult and older adult services, in order to define the remit, scope and role of services and the workforce capacity to meet the demand.

Rationale: Understanding the purpose and remit of services is critical to ensuring workload expectations are realistic and measurable.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Target operating models are approved and published and health boards implement them. Progress updates to be shared with the implementation group.

Recommendation 9: Share the updated job planning guidance from RCPsychiS (once available) with stakeholders including HR Directors within Health Boards and IJBs. Guidance to be mapped against target operating models to understand demand/workforce ratio.

Rationale: Ensuring guidance available reaches the correct audience.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPsychiS, Scottish Government and NES.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Guidance is shared and implemented by Health Boards/ IJBs. Reviewed for adherence with a report to implementation group on annual basis. Measured through annual College surveys.

Recommendation 10: External advisors to highlight non-compliance to recruiting Boards and the implementation group if this guidance is not taken into consideration.

Rationale: Ensuring there is a feedback loop to provide guidance.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: External advisors.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Monitoring and reporting to the implementation group from External Advisors Network.

Locums in psychiatry – ensuring that those appointed to locum psychiatry posts hold titles based on their level of qualifications in order to improve morale in workforce and ensure transparency for patients

Recommendation 11: Seek to reduce and move towards stopping an over reliance of under-qualified locums in psychiatry through the implementation of the recommendations in this report which tackle some of the wider systemic issues which have resulted in the use of locums.

Rationale: Helps create a more sustainable workforce and maintain high levels of trust and quality in service.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reduction in use of under-qualified locums. Workforce data reported to implementation group annually.

Recommendation 12: Recommends the term ‘Consultant Psychiatrist’ is reserved for doctors on the Specialist Register. Doctors in locum appointments who do not hold specialist qualifications should be titled ‘Speciality Doctor’ or ‘Speciality Doctor working in a Consultant role.’

Rationale: In order to increase transparency on qualifications held, maintain quality, and helps protect the professional title of consultant.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reported changes to professional titles used by locums.

Recommendation 13: Increase the number of substantive roles through supporting speciality grade locum doctors to make the transition to Consultant through the Portfolio Pathway programme.

Rationale: Creates a more sustainable workforce.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs and RCPsychiS

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Increased uptake and successful completion of Portfolio programme reported to implementation group. Increased numbers of substantive posts.

Recommendation 14: Maintain relevant links across Scottish Government and Board Medical Directors to ensure progress is made in addressing reliance on locums in psychiatry.

Centre for Workforce Supply (CWS/NES) to contribute to existing group/networks across SG, RCPsychiS, and with Health Boards and to share learning and good practice via CWS Medical Network

Rationale: To aid in aim to reduce reliance on locums and improve patient outcomes.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government, CWS (NES) and Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reduced reliance on locums.

Recommendation 15: Consultants returning to posts after retirement should be offered emeritus consultant titles.

Rationale: Recognises experience and helps protect the professional title of consultant.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reported changes in professional titles used by retired consultants.

Leadership and Governance – ensuring psychiatrists are embedded in local decision making

Recommendation 16: Recommends Health Boards ensure that psychiatrists roles are embedded and empowered within local decision-making structures. This will require SPA time for effectiveness.

Rationale: To ensure that psychiatrists are at the heart of decision making in MH services. Ensuring there is clarity around accountability and decision-making structures.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reports from workforce that they are included in decision making. RCPsychiS to undertake regular membership survey and utilise relevant structures to report on progress to implementation group.

Adult secondary services – ensuring sustainable services in psychiatry

Recommendation 17: Supports the ongoing considerations that are underway by Scottish Government to develop a service specification/ target operating model for mental health services.

Rationale: To aid quality and improvement of Mental Health services.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Published service specification/ target operating model that supports workforce and improves patient outcomes.

Recommendation 18: Psychiatrists should be represented in these considerations and given suitable opportunity by Scottish Government to contribute.

Rationale: Includes and empowers psychiatrists in development of service specification or models that they will be asked to deliver.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reports from key stakeholders that they have been involved in development of this work.

Culture, Wellbeing and Working Environment – to support psychiatric workforce, increase morale and support retention

Recommendation 19: Recognising the guidance from RCPsych in the updated “Safe patients and high-quality services: a guide to job descriptions and job plans for consultant psychiatrists (CR207)” on the necessary support required to undertake psychiatric duties - Health Boards/ IJBs should improve the working environment of the psychiatrist in order to meet their professional needs. Including the consideration of working spaces (and need for confidentiality) the need for support staff, funding for Continued Professional Development (CPD), and cover for study leave.

As well as exploring the use of technological innovation to support better working practices where available.

Rationale: Aid with retention, morale and wellbeing.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Workforce report better working environment and improved morale. RCPsychiS to undertake annual survey of membership to measure progress and report back to implementation group.

Recommendation 20: In line with Job Plan recommendations, Health Boards/ IJBs to ensure that non-clinical time is protected to ensure that psychiatrists have suitable time for professional and personal development (including study time), research, support and supervision.

Rationale: Aids retention supports succession and professional development.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Workforce report having more time for professional and personal development – captured in annual RCPsychiS member survey and reported to implementation group.

Flexible working and retention in various stages of careers – to support psychiatric workforce, improve succession planning and retention

Recommendation 21: Taking into account the individual, Health Boards/ IJBs should use flexible working policies to support people throughout their careers including the latter stages of their careers.

Rationale: Ensures that psychiatrists are supported at various stages in their careers and helps with retention.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Workforce report using policies to support discussions with Health Boards/ IJBs.

Recommendation 22: Recommends that this extends to Health Boards/ IJBs considering support for late career breaks, sabbaticals, sensitive and flexible late career planning, cease on-call in pre-retirement years, flexible working to support and retain consultants in the last 5-10 years of their careers. Using experience and breadth of knowledge to focus on the role beyond clinical work.

Rationale: Ensures workforce planning considers how to support consultants at latter stages of their career and supports succession planning.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Workforce data reports illustrate retention in workforce at latter stages of career.

Recommendation 23: Support the RCPsychiS intention to produce a retention charter and when published in Summer 2025 asks that Boards should consider adoption.

Rationale: Provides framework to aid retention.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPsychiS and Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Published charter that Health Boards/ IJBs agree to adopt.

Future actions from implemented improvements – ensures commitment to progress actions already underway

Recommendation 24: Supports plans for the further development and improvement of Psychiatry webpages hosted by NES. This requires clinical expertise to ensure information remains accurate and up to date and provides information and signposting for those seeking to live and work in Scotland as a psychiatrist.

Rationale: Provides a professional platform for promoting careers in psychiatry.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: NES and Clinical expertise.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Improved user experience and data to show the pages are utilised.

Recommendation 25: Ongoing commitment from Scottish Government to support future events that promote careers in psychiatry. NES to continue to promote psychiatry careers by maintaining relevant information on the CWS TURAS hub, as well as the NHS Scotland Careers website and social media channels as appropriate.

Rationale: Promotion of careers to aid in recruitment.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government and CWS (NES).

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Shared agreement to support events as they arise based on business need/case and affordability.

Recommendation 26: CWS (NES) continue to provide direct engagement and support to Health Boards to progress international recruitment options within psychiatry. CWS also provide, promote, maintain and support a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach where practical and appropriate to do so, whilst creating and maintaining supporting resources as needed.

CWS (NES) to continue to support Health Boards to develop packages of induction and pastoral support for international recruits to aid their transition into NHS Scotland and enable long term retention.

Rationale: Supports recruitment and retention of international recruits and sustainable workforce.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: CWS (NES) and Health Boards/IJBs.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: CWS evidence how support has resulted in recruitment of psychiatrists in Scotland.

Recommendation 27: Depending on outcome of recommendation 26, Scottish Government should consider additional future funding to support international recruitment of psychiatrists as part of a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach.

Rationale: Supports recruitment and sustainable workforce.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Commitment from Scottish Government to consider requests from Health Boards/ IJBs.

Recommendation 28: Health Boards/IJBs should consider funding international recruitment with a view of offsetting upfront costs via long term savings made against locum usage. CWS can continue to support Boards in developing their business case for this recruitment route via their International Recruitment Support Pack of resources and bespoke, direct support within existing capacity.

Rationale: Supports recruitment and sustainable workforce.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards/IJBs and CWS (NES).

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: CWS reports on level of engagement from Boards on international recruitment options.

Recommendation 29: Promote the recruitment resources developed by CWS and hosted on the CWS Medical Turas hub.

Rationale: Aids recruitment.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: CWS(NES), Scottish Government and RCPSYCHIS.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Evidence how these have been shared and used.

Recommendation 30: Develop a robust evidence base and business case for additional targeted incentives to aid retention of psychiatrists in rural areas. Consider the drivers of decisions made by prospective NHS consultant psychiatrists and whether additional targeted incentives from those that already exist would aid in the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists in rural Scotland.

Rationale: Understanding the use of incentives in recruitment and retention.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Health Boards (SMMPG) and RCPsychiS.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Business case developed to understand the drivers and impact in the use of incentives, including a remote and rural credential, in the recruitment of psychiatrists in rural Scotland.

Recommendation 31: Develop a robust evidence base and business case for additional targeted incentives to aid recruitment in other hard to recruit areas such as areas of severe urban deprivation.

Rationale: Understanding and use of incentives in recruitment and retention.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: RCPsychiS and Health Boards (SMMPG).

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Business case developed to understand the drivers and impact the use of incentives might have in hard to recruit areas of Scotland.

Recommendation 32: Scottish Government and NES should work together to ensure consistent data collection and recording of workforce data through use of WTE figures and recording locum posts as vacancies.

Rationale: Data improvements.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Reliable workforce data.

Recommendation 33: Scottish Government and NES to publish workforce data broken down by speciality and region including reference to trends.

Rationale: Supports better workforce planning.

Lead stakeholder for action and responsibility: Scottish Government.

Potential indicator to evidence delivery: Published data.