Chamber and committees

The data below shows that 1083 Foundation Year 2 doctors have returned to training in Scotland since 2020.

The table referred to in PQ S6W-33144 on 21 January 2025, which is held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (BIB number 65598), gives a breakdown of the numbers of specialty posts available for recruitment and vacancies after recruitment for the past 10 years.

NHS Education for Scotland, in collaboration with wider stakeholders, are taking action to support recruitment into underfilled specialties including cancer and psychiatry. These actions include initiatives to promote these specialties through recruitment campaigns; increase exposure to these specialties, particularly during medical school and early career stages through Foundation placements and programmes, careers fairs and training days and; supporting recruitment in specific regions.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

While exact data on the percentage of Foundation Year 2 doctors who applied for NHS specialty training who were offered a place is not available, the General Medical Council education data tool shows the proportion of doctors in training each year following completion of Foundation Year 2 from 2012 to 2023: https://edt.gmc-uk.org/progression-reports/recruitment-from-f2

The Scottish Government has a dedicated team that manage all aspects of our fleet. Part of this role is to ensure vehicles are maintained in line with manufacturers recommended maintenance schedules and guidelines to ensure emission compliance and the active monitoring of fuel usage.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the decarbonisation of its vehicle fleet. To support this, a replacement strategy has been in operation since 2015 to replace end of life vehicles with zero or ultra-low emissions vehicles where possible.

The Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group undertakes an annual review of medical training establishments and makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers on the need to create additional training places in order to meet increased demand and future anticipated consultant need.

UK data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the reported trend of Foundation Year 2 doctors delaying NHS specialty training in Scotland is similar to the trend in the UK as a whole. There are a number of possible (and complex) explanations for this trend but progression data from the GMC shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme.

Progression data from the General Medical Council shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme. It is likely that overall numbers taking up a specialty training place for cohorts 2022, 2023 & 2024 (albeit not immediately after completing foundation training) will increase over the coming years.

The allocation of medical specialty training places is made annually to ensure it meets the needs of the healthcare workforce, recognising that completion of specialty training can take a minimum of 3 to 8 years depending on the specialty. This process is overseen by a group of senior representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS Education for Scotland, professional bodies, and Health Boards. Based on workforce data and service demands, the group makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers regarding any changes needed, including the potential expansion of training places in specific specialties.

A copy of a table which shows how many NHS specialty training places have been available in each of the last 10 years, broken down by speciality, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. Number 65598).