These include:A Partnership Agreement commitment to increase the number of consultants within NHS Scotland;An action plan to take forward a range of options and measures to improve recruitment and retention in the short and medium term;An on-line recruitment website for NHSScotland, and A regional consultant role which is currently being developed.Also, to assist NHSScotland employers meet local health needs, the department has set up a national planning exercise to address these issues and the impact of staff shortages across the whole of the NHSScotland workforce.