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Work is currently underway in the Scottish Public Health Workforce Development Group to assess needs and agree priority actions in relation to the public health workforce. Three additional Public Health training places for trainee doctors have been created in recent years following recommendations made by the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group. While this may seem like a modest increase, it is relative to the specialty’s training establishment i.e. there were 35 established training places prior to the creation of those three extra posts. This will continue to be reviewed as part of public health workforce planning.

Work is currently underway in the Scottish Public Health Workforce Development Group to assess needs and agree priority actions in relation to the public health workforce. The group has gathered information from all local public health teams about their current workforce plans and issues. It will initially complete a baseline audit along with projections about future workforce needs. Considering opportunities to increase capacity in local public health teams will be a priority for the Group, Scottish Directors of Public Health, Public Health Scotland and Scottish Government. A leadership programme is already underway and some shared posts have been established across Scotland to increase capacity locally and nationally.

Local authorities are responsible for the education of all pupils who are registered within their school rolls.

It is for teachers, schools and local authorities to determine how best to deliver learning and teaching on any topic and subject, in line with Curriculum for Excellence. We expect teachers to use their professional judgement, experience and understanding of their pupils to respond sensitively to complex and challenging issues.

The national relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) resources are part of a wider package of resources available to all schools and teachers to support delivery of RSHP education. A summary of wider resources in use across Scotland is available on Education Scotland's National Improvement Hub at https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/a-summary-of-rshp-resources/ .

Pay for staff in the Senior Civil Service is reserved and operates within the UK Cabinet Office pay and performance management framework.

As at 30 November 2022, a total of 41 staff earning over £100,000 per annum were employed in Core Scottish Government at a total salary cost of £4,552,993. This represents 0.45% of the total number of staff employed in Core Scottish Government. The following table provides a breakdown by Directorate General area.

Responsibility for delivering the National Induction Framework for new entrants to social care resides with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES).

As part of Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2021-22, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES) worked in collaboration with Scottish Government and key partners, to develop a national induction framework for new entrants to Adult Social Care. This resource provides tools to help employers and workers identify induction learning needs. It also includes relevant guidance and learning resources that complement workers’ existing skills and the mandatory learning delivered by the employer. It also supports workers moving between employers or undertaking different roles.

The National Induction framework was launched on the 1st of February 2022, and materials are available via the SSSC website: Work is ongoing to further develop materials to ensure the framework offers a robust and supportive induction for all social care staff.

The infection prevention and control component of the national induction framework contains specific links to the Scottish IPC Education Pathway which is aligned to the National IPC Manual for Scotland .

Another resource updated in 2022, following consultation with social care stakeholders, is the NES Preventing Infection in Social Care Settings pocket book. The SSSC is currently working with the Digital Health Institute and other partners, including NES, to develop a mobile friendly IPC practice support app for social care workers based on the IPC pocketbook. The final application will be completed by Spring 2023, with content work already completed and user testing planned prior to launch.

The national adult social care recruitment campaign, There’s More to Care Than Caring, ran from 8 November 2021 to 2 January 2022 and included digital, press, out of home and radio advertising, supported by virtual workshops, partnerships and public relations activity.

The campaign was evaluated by an independent research agency and results showed 48 per cent awareness of the campaign amongst the overall target audience, exceeding the campaign target of 40 per cent.

This awareness converted into action with 11 per cent of those who had seen or heard of the campaign saying they had applied for or got a job in adult social care as a result. In addition almost 39,500 visited the Care to Care website during the campaign period.

The campaign this year is due to run from 23 January 2023 to 5 March 2023 and will include out of home, radio and digital advertising, as well as a partnership with STV, supported by field, partnership and public relations activity.

We are working with sector stakeholders to embed the principles of Effective Voice in social care, to enable staff to engage in meaningful, constructive dialogue within their employers to help promote fair working conditions, develop best practice, and deliver high quality care.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group, including key Social Care stakeholders, Trade Unions, representative sector organisations, and care providers, developed an Effective Voice Framework informed by the lived experience of staff. The Framework will support employers and employees to assess the standard of Effective Voice in their workplace and take steps to enhance it, if necessary.

A project to trial this Framework in social care settings will begin in early 2023.

Information on the number of times that the rshp.scot website has been accessed can be found at https://mailchi.mp/8e809fa117cf/rshp-resource-network-june22 . This information does not distinguish whether it was a teacher accessing the resource. Therefore the information specifically requested is not held centrally.

Work through the Fair Work in Social Care Group has developed a set of minimum standards for terms and conditions reflecting Fair Work principles. Work to investigate how these standards can be implemented within devolved powers is being taken forward in collaboration with key stakeholders.

A stakeholder group has been established to progress this work, including the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) who each have a key role in social care workforce development.

Last year, we worked collaboratively with SSSC and NES to develop a national induction framework for social care staff. An evaluation of the framework has been launched with the aim of improving and expanding the materials further.

We have also committed to expanding the framework to encompass continuous professional development opportunities, and this work has begun with the stakeholder group. By doing this, we will support our commitment to improving fair work, increasing employee engagement, enhancing skills and capabilities, attracting new talent and contributing to improved employee wellbeing.