NHS Grampian has recorded record numbers of staff levels this year with more than 13,000 staff employed by the health board – a 12.6 percent increase over the past five years.
Across Scotland, more than 155,000 staff have been hired, with increases in whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff for ten consecutive years.
In NHS Grampian there has been a 5.1 percent increase in the past year in staffing levels and a 12.6 percent increase in the past five years.
There are currently 13,649 staff in the local health board.
Commenting, Aberdeenshire East Gillian Martin MSP said: “Our staff in NHS Grampian have shown incredible dedication and commitment to our health service in the past two years and beyond. We will never be able to thank them enough for their heroic efforts.
“Under this Scottish Government, staffing levels in the NHS in Scotland have increased to record levels. The Scottish Government’s long-term investment in the workforce has accelerated since the outset of the pandemic and we are seeing that in reality, with a 12.6 percent increase over the past five years here in NHS Grampian.
“The Scottish Government also continues to recognise the effort of our staff having offered them the best pay rise in the UK. They also continue to be the best paid health staff compared to their counterparts in the rest of the UK.”
Across Scotland the NHS’s workforce has reached a record high of more than 155,000 whole time equivalent (WTE) staff.
The number of doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, and support staff working across Scotland’s hospitals and in communities increased by over 7,000 in the past year alone.
Staffing levels across Scotland have now increased for ten consecutive years and have grown by over 28,500 (WTE) since 2006, meaning an extra 22.6 percent staff working in the health service
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Under this Government, staffing in Scotland’s NHS has risen to record highs and our long-term investment in this workforce has accelerated since the outset of the pandemic.
“I would like to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment of our frontline healthcare staff for the vital role they have played in keeping us all safe throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Work is ongoing to further enhance NHS workforce levels and support Health Boards to fill posts as our investment in NHS staffing continues to create significant numbers of new roles in the system.
“Our record £300,000,000 of new investment helped services deal with system pressures over winter and the one billion pound NHS Recovery Plan introduced a range of direct workforce investments.
“This has included new measures to support Boards’ capacity for both domestic and international recruitment.
“Scotland has the best paid NHS staff in the UK and we have made £12,000,000 available in the last year to support the wellbeing of the workforce.”
