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Emergency care provision staffing tool

The Emergency care provisions staffing tool is part of a suite of tools. These tools help NHS Scotland services plan the number of staff they need. This tool was designed by doctors and nurses working within NHS Scotland emergency departments.  


The tool

The tool measures all aspects of the emergency departments multi-professional work which includes: 

  • direct care, including patient acuity 
  • indirect care 
  • associated workload 

The tool provides information, and a rWTE (recommended whole time equivalent) for staffing based on the workload data entered. 

How to use this tool 

Use the Emergency care provision staffing tool to gather data across 24 hours per day for the duration of the tool run. The current national recommendation is to run the tools for a two-week period, at least once per year. 

Use this tool alongside the Professional judgement (PJ) tool

The outputs from these tools can be used as part of the Common Staffing Method, to inform safe and effective staffing for your service.  

The following video guides and documents provide information on completing this tool.  

They provide detailed information from how to log in to how to gather and submit data. 

Resources to support you 

ResourceSourceWhat it is and what it is for
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Step by step guide to background of the emergency care provision tool and data collection 
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Step by step guide to uploading data onto SSTS platform 
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Guide to the calculations required to be completed by designated staff at the end of the tool run 
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
User guide on using the emergency care provisions staffing level tool  
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Printable data capture template 
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Printable data capture template for use by Emergency Department nursing teams 
ResourceSource
Healthcare Improvement Scotland 
What it is and what it is for
Printable data capture template for use by Emergency Department medical teams 
ResourceSource
TURAS
What it is and what it is for
A variety of learning resources to support understanding workload and workforce planning and the application of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019