Health and Social Care Provision
Staffing
In 2023:
- NHS Shetland employed 844 people, across all its services, which equated to 682.3 whole-time equivalent (WTE) posts
- Shetland’s 10 GP surgeries employed 26 General Practitioners (GPs) and 40 Nurses, equating to 17.2 GP and 18.0 Nurse WTE posts
- Per 10,000 patients Shetland GP surgeries employed 7.5 WTE GPs, which was higher than the Scottish average of 5.9 WTE
- 100% of GP surgeries reported using a locum, with 87% of the 17.2 GP WTE posts in 2023 being filled by locum cover
Hospital activity
Gilbert Bain Hospital is Shetland’s only hospital. Located in Lerwick, in 2022/23, the hospital undertook 4,444 inpatient episodes and 13,005 outpatient attendances.
Social care
In 2022/23 there were:
- 9 elderly care homes with capacity for 147 residential and 98 day care places for older people
- 40 supported living placements and 77 day care places for adults with learning disabilities
- 12 places in children’s and young people’s residential care
- 5 respite care places for mentally/physically disabled children
- 667 care at home clients
- 698 homes connected to the community alarm system
- 27,794 meals delivered