Main Report of the National Review of Primary Care Out of Hours Services

Annex C: Key NHS Financial Data

Aggregated Costs

The annual cost reported by Scotland's territorial Boards in 2014/2015 was £81.8 million, which saw a significant rise of 6% from the previous financial year. NHS 24 incurred costs of £40.4 million, giving a total of £122.2 million invested in supporting OOH care across Scotland. By comparison, expenditure on daytime general practice services - only one component of primary care funding - amounted to £767 million.

Direct pay costs of £70.5 million from Regional Boards and £28.5 million from NHS 24 account for 81% of the total service costs. Direct non-pay costs were 13% with allocated (overhead) costs from territorial Boards making up the remaining 6%.

Territorial Board Costs Breakdown

Medical costs of £46.8 million are two thirds of the pay costs incurred by territorial Boards, as shown in the chart below. Medical costs can be further broken down into salaried GPs of £12.5 million (27%), sessional GPs of £30.6 million (65%) and GP locum/agency costs of £3.8 million (8%).

The 6% annual rise in costs incurred by Boards has been spread over all the main pay areas, with exception of support services, which saw a 1% inflationary rise. Between 2012/13 and 2013/14 there was also a 3.9% cost increase across Scotland. When analysing medical pay in more detail, GP locum/agency costs (£3.8 million) have increased by 15% from the previous financial year, following on from a substantial 180% increase between 2012/13 and 2013/14.

NHS 24 Costs Breakdown

The NHS 24 Service is predominately based on Trained Nurse staffing costs of £15.2 million, call handler, physiotherapy and pharmacy staffing costs of £12.0 million and non-pay technology and infrastructure costs amounting to £11.9 million.