Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Active Recruitment Statistics & Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Workforce Statistics December 2024
Date published:
The Department of Health today released details of NI Health and Social Care (HSC) vacancies actively being recruited and HSC staff in post as at 31 December 2024.
These statistical publications present analysis of active recruitment vacancies and active staff in post by staff group and HSC organisation, and includes trend information.
The NI HSC Workforce publication covers the majority of HSC hospital, community and social services workforce. Bank/sessional staff are excluded, as are members of staff on career breaks, Chairpersons/Members of Boards and those recorded with less than 0.03 WTE. Domiciliary care staff have also been excluded, as their recorded whole-time equivalent currently does not reflect their contribution to the service.
The NI HSC Active Recruitment Statistics publication covers any position that is currently with the recruitment team and being actively recruited to, including those going through pre-employment checks, up to the point of a start date being agreed.
Key Points
- At 31 December 2024, the HSC workforce* stood at 66,589 whole-time equivalent (WTE). This represented an increase of 1.3% (875 WTE) from 31 December 2023, and an 11.8% increase (7,039 WTE) since 31 December 2019.
- Just over a quarter of the HSC workforce at 31 December 2024 was in the Registered Nursing & Midwifery staff group (18,003 WTE, 27.0%). This staff group reported an increase of 2.0% (352 WTE) from 31 December 2023, and an increase of 15.9% (2,463 WTE) since 31 December 2019.
- The Belfast HSC Trust had the largest workforce, with 19,004 WTE at 31 December 2024. This level is 0.1% lower than 31 December 2023 (19,021 WTE), but 4.2% higher than 31 December 2019 (18,237 WTE). All regional HSC Trusts reported an increase in WTE staff since 31 December 2019.
- At 31 December 2024, there were 5,724 vacancies actively being recruited across HSC in Northern Ireland. This equated to an active recruitment vacancy rate of 6.8%.
- The total number of vacancies under active recruitment at 31 December 2024 (5,724) is 3.1% lower than at 31 December 2023 (5,906) and 11.0% lower than at 31st December 2019 (6,433).
- At 31 December 2024, the Social Services staff group made up the highest proportion, at 22.3% (1,276 vacancies). The second highest proportion of vacancies was in the Registered Nursing & Midwifery staff group, at 21.7% (1,241 vacancies), followed by the Administration & Clerical staff group, at 17.3% (990 vacancies).
- The Belfast HSC Trust had the highest number of vacancies actively being recruited at 31 December 2024 (1,608). All regional HSC Trusts, with the exception of the Northern HSC Trust, reported a decrease in vacancies between 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2024, with the largest annual percentage decrease in the South Eastern HSC Trust (13.7%), followed by Southern (8.9%), Belfast (3.2%), and Western (1.6%) HSC Trusts. The Northern HSC Trust reported an increase of 2.8%.
* Excludes staff on career breaks, bank staff, Domiciliary Care workers, staff with a WTE of less than 0.03, Chairs/Members of Boards and Out of Hours GPs.
Notes to editors:
1. These publications are available on the Departmental website at:
- HSC Workforce: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/staff-numbers
- HSC Active Recruitment Statistics: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/staff-vacancies
2. Information in the HSC Workforce publication was collected from the Human Resources, Payroll, Travel and Subsistence database which is maintained by the various HSC organisations. The analyses presented exclude bank staff (who fill staffing shortfalls to maintain service delivery) and domiciliary care staff. These staff were excluded because, due to the variable nature of their work, their recorded whole-time equivalent currently does not reflect their contribution to the service. Figures also exclude staff on career breaks, non-Trust staff and Chairpersons/Members of Boards.
3. WTE (Whole Time equivalent) is calculated by aggregating the total number of hours staff in a particular grade are contracted to work and dividing by the standard hours for that grade. In this way, part-time staff are converted into an equivalent number of 'whole-time' staff.
4. Information in the HSC Active Recruitment Statistics publication represents the number of vacancies actively being recruited and does not indicate the whole time equivalent (WTE) for these positions. The data includes both permanent and temporary positions. The figures do not indicate a measure of posts that are unfilled by permanent or fixed-term staff, and do not include posts not actively being recruited to at the specific point in time, including those outside the bounds of the definition e.g. those that have not reached recruitment stage yet.
5. An active recruitment vacancy is any position that is currently with the recruitment team and being actively recruited to. This will include those going through pre-employment checks, up to the point of a start date being agreed. Once a start date has been agreed with both parties (i.e. manager and applicant) this will no longer be classed as a vacancy. Vacancies that are on hold by managers are not included.
6. Further information on the NI HSC Workforce is available from:
Workforce Section
Project Support Analysis Branch
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings
Stormont
BT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 90 522493
Email: workforce.statistics@health-ni.gov.uk
Internet: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/dhssps-statistics-and-research/workforce-statistics
7. For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office by email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk.
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9. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service For Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.