Hospital patients and staff will benefit from the creation of 70 new posts for trainee doctors across 17 medical specialities.
All of the additional posts will support hospital-based medical specialities identified as being under pressure from increased patient need, including radiology, oncology, anaesthesia, intensive care and obstetrics and gynaecology.
Fourteen of the trainees will also spend time training in general practice and mental health placements.
The SNP Government will cover the costs of the trainee salaries of £2.3 million in 2020-21, increasing to £3.4 million in 2021-22 and beyond. Successful applicants will begin their new posts in autumn 2020.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman MSP said:
“Scotland has an excellent reputation as a place to work and train for doctors. The number of doctors in training in Scotland has increased by more than 6% since 2006.
“The creation of these posts is further evidence that we are developing a more sustainable medical workforce.
“These extra posts build upon the 290 additional training posts already agreed since 2014, and will make a significant contribution to supporting frontline services and those medical specialities who are working hard to deliver the high quality of care our patients need.”
Kenneth Gibson MSP added:
“This is the latest in a string of measures the SNP Government is taking to recruit more specialist doctors to treat patients across Scotland as quickly and effectively as possible.
“Of course this step follows hot on the heels of the announcement that Scotland’s medical workforce will be bolstered by 105 more places by 2022 for new graduates on the Foundation Training programme.
“The SNP Government will continue to invest in recruitment of specialist doctors, GPs, nurses and allied health professionals."
The number of posts was agreed by the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group, chaired by Doctor John Colvin, which undertakes an annual assessment of supply and demand in the medical workforce, with membership drawn from across NHS Scotland, and representatives of the medical profession.
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