Communication Staff - FOI Response Register

1. How many staff are employed providing press and/or communications support. Please break this down by role.

From 2021 until 31 December 2023, NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney shared a communications team through a Service Level Agreement, with NHS Shetland employing 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

23/24 up until 31/12/23 1 x Band 5 post and 1 x Band 6 post

23/24 quarter 4 1 x Band 6 post

2. What is the total amount spent by the health board on employment of staff in question 1?

The joint 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 payscales. It must be noted this was for all corporate communication work and not limited to external press and media handling.

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

3. How many vacancies are there currently within press and communications support? Which roles are these vacancies for?

After the joint working arrangements ended, we have had one part time Band 5 vacancy within the NHS Shetland communications team, which is due to be filled in April 2024.