National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

[F1 12IB Duty to ensure appropriate staffing: agency workers S

(1) Where, in order to comply with the duty under section 12IA, a Health Board, a relevant Special Health Board or the Agency secures the services of an agency worker (within the meaning of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010), it must comply with subsection (2).

(2) Subject to subsection (3), the amount to be paid to secure the services of that worker during a period should not exceed 150% of the amount that would be paid to a full-time equivalent employee of the Health Board, relevant Special Health Board or the Agency to fill the equivalent post for the same period.

(3) Where, despite subsection (2), in a quarterly reporting period a Health Board, relevant Special Health Board or the Agency does pay an amount higher than the amount prescribed in subsection (2), it must report to the Scottish Ministers, as soon as practicable after the end of that period—

(a) the number of occasions in that period on which it has paid an amount higher than the amount prescribed in subsection (2),

(b) the amount paid on each such occasion (expressed as a percentage of the amount that would be paid to a full-time equivalent employee of the Health Board, relevant Special Health Board or the Agency to fill the equivalent post for the same period) and,

(c) the circumstances that have required the higher amount to be paid.

(4) In subsection (3), “quarterly reporting period” means—

(a) the period from the day that the Bill for the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 receives Royal Assent to whichever of 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December first occurs thereafter,

(b) each subsequent three-month period.

(5) The Scottish Ministers must publish in such manner and at such intervals as they consider appropriate—

(a) information from Health Boards, relevant Special Health Boards and the Agency on the amount spent on all agency workers, and

(b) reports received by them under subsection (3).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 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)