Healthcare professionals employed in Scotland with a home postal code in England: FOI release

Information requested

How many healthcare professionals live in England but work in Scotland?

• Why do registered health or care professionals travelling to Scotland to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus, have to self isolate?

• Why do they not have to self-isolate in the other 3 nations of the UK?

Response

According to the Scottish Workforce Information Standard System (SWISS) as of 30 June 2020, there were an estimated 1,286 NHS staff, directly employed by Health Boards in Scotland, whose home postcode was in England. This may include some staff who lived in England when they applied and are now living in Scotland, but whose postcode is yet to be updated. There were an estimated 218 NHS staff, directly employed by Health Boards in Scotland, whose home postcode was in the border area of Northern England – that is postcode areas CA and NE, and the English part of the TD area.

Regarding your second and third question, the Scottish government has the following guidance about isolation for health care workers:

Registered health and care professionals travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus, have been required to self-isolate for 14 days in Scotland since Monday 8 June. This differs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where this requirement was introduced on 31 July. This is to protect against the risk of imported cases of coronavirus. Health care workers from inside the common travel area: UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Isles do not have to self-isolate. Health care workers from countries that are exempt from quarantine also do not have to self-isolate. You can find up to date information regarding these exemptions here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-public-health-checks-at-borders/pages/exemptions/

The Scottish Government has devolved powers for health, including any decisions regarding isolation and quarantine arrangements for people arriving in Scotland who are of higher risk of having been exposed to COVID-19.

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