National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

[F112IADuty to ensure appropriate staffingS

(1)It is the duty of every Health Board and the Agency to ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent individuals, from such a range of professional disciplines as necessary, are working in such numbers as are appropriate for—

(a)the health, wellbeing and safety of patients,

(b)the provision of safe and high-quality health care, and

(c)in so far as it affects either of those matters, the wellbeing of staff.

(2)In determining what, in a particular kind of health care provision, constitutes appropriate numbers for the purposes of subsection (1), regard is to be had to—

(a)the nature of the particular kind of health care provision,

(b)the local context in which it is being provided,

(c)the number of patients being provided it,

(d)the needs of patients being provided it, and

(e)appropriate clinical advice.]

Textual Amendments

F1Ss. 12IA-12IO and cross-heading inserted (15.5.2023 for specified purposes, 6.2.2024 for specified purposes, 1.4.2024 for specified purposes) by Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 6), ss. 4(2), 15(2); S.S.I. 2023/131, reg. 2, sch.; S.S.I. 2024/20, reg. 2(1)(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)