Communications and Public Relations Spend - FOI Response Register

1. Please provide your total spend on communications and public relations for the last three financial year's (20/21, 21/22, 22/23). For each year I would like a breakdown containing the following information:

•       Spend on communications and public relations activities.

There is no spend for public relations for NHS Shetland with the exception of ad hoc advertising as required in any of the three years requested. Communications spend is limited to employment costs as detailed below.

•       Total number of communications and public relations employees and

•       Total salary cost for all communications and public relations employees.

NHS Shetland has employed in communication roles:

20/21 1 x Band 5 post

21/22 1 x Band 5 post and 1 x Band 6 post

22/23 1 x Band 5 post and 1 x Band 6 post

Since 2021 until the end of December 2023 NHS Shetland shared a communication team with NHS Orkney through a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The team was responsible for external, internal and digital communication.

The SLA addressed the funding of the joint communications unit. There were 3 full time members of staff in the joint team, two of whom were direct employees. The costings also included 0.3 WTE Band 8A management overheads (including the overseeing of the communications unit, advising and inputting to communications development and sign off, budget management and participating in the out of hours on call Rota as required).

The cost of this agreement to each organisation was £96,804 per annum based on 2023/24 Agenda for Change pay scales. It must be noted this was for all corporate communication work and not limited to external press and media handling.

Agenda for Change pay scales can be found at: Pay and conditions for NHS staff covered by the Agenda for Change agreement (scot.nhs.uk)