FOI 25-360 Reduced Working Week Information
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-360 Reduced Working Week Information
- Request Date
- 21 Aug 2025
- Response Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Information Requested
Please can you give me full details of your board’s work to implement the reduction in the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff. This should include:
• The estimated total cost of the policy to your board, as well as how much your board has spent on it to date.
• Your estimate of how many additional staff will be required to implement the policy.
• A breakdown, where available, of what type of additional staff will be needed (such as the number of paramedics)
• How many additional staff have been hired to date as part of work to implement the reduction in the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff.
• Again, please can I have a breakdown of the type of additional staff hired to date if it is available.- Response
Detail of board’s work to implement the reduction in the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff: The Scottish Ambulance Service has established the Reduction of the Working Week and Protected Learning Programme and this is governed by a Programme Board. The objective of the Programme Board is to ensure the objectives of the programme are delivered to the agreed timescales, to the agreed budget and to the agreed scope of work. Prior to the formation of the Programme Board in January 2025, an Oversight Group had been formed and operated as the decision-making body in relation to the Agenda for Change reform between May 2024 and December 2024.
The Programme Board meets monthly and is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, who is also the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO). The Programme Board has executive representation from Finance, Workforce and Strategy. The membership also includes the Employee Director, Operational Directors and the convenors from each of the Trade Unions.
The programme has been split into six primary projects and two workstreams. The projects will manage the transition for A&E, Scheduled Care, Ambulance Control Centres, National Risk and Resilience Department, ScotSTAR and the Protected Learning element of the implementation.
In line with STAC issued guidance, the Service workforce has been split into two primary groups, rostered and non-rostered staff. Non-rostered full-time staff reduced to 37 hours per week from 01/04/24 and will reduce to 36 hours per week from 01/04/26.
Due to the time lag in recruiting additional staff, in the interim, full time rostered staff have been advised they will be required to work their existing shifts until the gaps can be covered through the recruitment process and re-rostering has taken place. Part time rostered staff have been advised they will be required to work their existing shifts until the gaps can be covered.
For staff who are on shifts that are required still to cover the 37.5 hours, a new recording element has been created in our eRostering system, GRS, called ‘RWW Accrued Hours’.
This Service interim (to 01/04/26) position for rostered staff is that staff will accrue time. The RWW Accrued Hours can be taken from a future shift.
Frontline rosters will be redesigned with staff based on 36 hours per week (on average) and these will go live on 01/04/26.
Estimated costs to Board: 2024-25 total costs £5.6m. 2025-26 estimated total cost £6.82m, future year is to be confirmed with the forecast currently under review. Previous estimate circa £16m, this will be revised to account for Agenda for Change pay awards and NIC changes.
Board spend to date: 2024-25 total costs £5.6m. 2025-26 year-to-date costs incurred £1.73m (at 31 July 2025).
Additional staff required to implement the policy and breakdown: Currently being worked through by the programme but initial estimates circa 250 with the majority of these being frontline, and patient facing roles.
Additional staff hired to implement the policy: As of the end of August 2025, 40 Newly Qualified Paramedics have been hired as part of the programme.
