Nursing Recruitment - FOI Response Register

FoI Number
2024-486
Subject
Nursing Recruitment
Date Received
08/11/2024
Request and Response
  1. Please confirm the number of shifts sent to agencies for fulfilment per month for Band 5 and Band 6 Nurses, broken down by specialty (e.g., A&E, ITU) from June 2024 to October 2024.

See spreadsheet

  1. Please confirm the number of shifts that were filled by agencies each month from June 2024 to October 2024.

See spreadsheet

  1. Please confirm any specific days, weeks, or months during which agency usage is consistently highest.

In accordance with FOISA s 17(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it does not hold the information requested.

  1. Please provide the agency spend per month by nursing band (e.g., Band 5, Band 6) for agency nurses, from June 2024 to October 2024

For the data in the period June 2024 to September 2024 and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 25(1) as the information requested is accessible without submitting a request under FOISA s 1(1). The information you have requested is available here:

https://www.nhsshetland.scot/us/procurement-information

For the October 2024 data and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 27(1) as the information is already intended for publication by NHS Shetland within the 12 weeks of the date of your request at the website page above.

Given that NHS Shetland publishes this data on its website on a regular basis we consider it reasonable to withhold the requested information until publication.

  1. Please provide a breakdown of the filled Nursing shifts by agency on a monthly basis over the period from June 2024 to October 2024.

See spreadsheet

  1. Please confirm the number of Nursing hours filled by off-framework agencies, broken down by month, between June 2024 and October 2024.

Zero

  1. Please provide details of the Health Boards spend per month for each nursing agency supplier during the period of June 2024 to October 2024.

For the data in the period June 2024 to September 2024 and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 25(1) as the information requested is accessible without submitting a request under FOISA s 1(1). The information you have requested is available here:

https://www.nhsshetland.scot/us/procurement-information

For the October 2024 data and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 27(1) as the information is already intended for publication by NHS Shetland within the 12 weeks of the date of your request at the website page above.

Given that NHS Shetland publishes this data on its website on a regular basis we consider it reasonable to withhold the requested information until publication.

  1. Please confirm if a Preferred Supplier List (PSL) or tiered system is in place for nursing agency engagement.

No preferred supplier. Scottish Framework agencies contacted with request

  1. How many different agencies does the Health Board engage with monthly to fill nursing shifts, and is there a limit on the number of agencies used?

50

  1. Does the Health Board have a projected agency usage plan for the coming year, and are there specific goals for reducing agency dependency?

Ideally a reduction in agency use through substantive recruitment processes

  1. If you answered yes to the above question, what are they?

As above

  1. Is there a long-term strategy in place to reduce agency nursing costs or transition to alternative staffing models?

Focus on substantive recruitment

  1. If you answered yes to the above question, what are they?

As above