Health and social care support

Published in News on 28 Apr 2020

More than 22,000 students and returning health and social care workers have come forward to support the NHS in its response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The figure includes nearly 7,000 students in nursing and midwifery, medicine and the allied health professions and scientific disciplines. In addition there are almost 3,000 former social care workers, professionals and experienced healthcare workers returning from career breaks and retirement and individuals joining the NHS from the independent sector.

Applicants are being held on a list, with Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) and Disclosure checks being fast-tracked to allow new recruits to take up posts as soon as possible.

Offers of employment are being made across NHS Scotland with more than 160 applicants ready to be deployed and more than 3,600 returners in the process of completing their pre-employment checks.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is taking forward applications and pre-employment checks for the social care workforce, with 140 individuals now matched into roles and a further 225 ready and available for deployment.

Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman said:

“I thank the thousands of students and retired health and social care workers who have answered our calls for support, and put themselves forward to help the NHS response to COVID-19. This has been an outstanding response and we are working with NHS Education for Scotland and our boards to ensure returners and students are deployed as quickly and effectively as possible."

Full news release.