The Mental Health Officers Report 2023 shows the overall hours estimated to be spent on MHO duties was 13,149, higher than the previous high of 12,752 reported in 2022. This is a 3.1% increase.
There was also in increase in the number of active MHO posts to 729, which is 22 more than in 2022. These posts were filled by 697 individuals (headcount) which is up from 670 in 2022.
Despite these increases the report shows the shortfall in MHO provision reported by local authorities increased by 11.8% from 2,606 to 2,914 hours per week. Twenty-six local authorities reported a shortfall in MHO hours per week ranging from 595 hours in Glasgow City to 28 hours in East Ayrshire and Na h-Eileanan Siar.
SSSC Chief Executive, Maree Allison said: ‘I’m pleased to see the number of active MHO posts and the number of people filling them both increased during 2023. However, we need to balance this against the reported shortfall in MHO duties increasing by 11.8% to 2,914 hours, which is higher than the previous two years.
‘Statistics like these, produced by our Workforce Intelligence Team by analysing data collected directly from local authorities, help workforce planning and succession planning by the Scottish Government, local authorities and others by giving an accurate picture of the MHO workforce.’
Key points from this year’s MHO report
- There were 729 active MHO posts in 2023, which is 22 more than the 707 in 2022.
- The number of individuals (headcount) working as an MHO rose from 670 in 2022 to 697 in 2023.
- The overall hours estimated to be spent on MHO duties each week in 2023 was 13,149 the highest since 2016 when we started reporting this figure, the previous highest was in 2022 when it was 12,752.
- Between 2022 and 2023 there was a rise of 3.1% in the overall hours estimated to be spent on MHO duties each week.
- Active exclusive MHO posts rose by 17 (6.4%) and cover posts by 13 (28.9%) whereas there was a fall of eight in non-exclusive posts (2.0%).
- Reported shortfall increased by 11.8% from 2,606 to 2,914 hours per week.
- Between December 2022 and December 2023, 98 staff left 100 MHO posts.
- There is a long-term trend which has been seen since records began in 2005 of increasing proportions of MHOs located in mental health teams (MHTs) and reducing proportions in non-mental health teams (NMHTs). In that period there has been a rise of 29 percentage points to 69.5% of MHOs now based in MHTs compared to roughly 40.5% in 2005.
Watch our video
You can hear more about the report from SSSC Workforce Intelligence Manager, Michael Docherty, in our video.
Our role supporting MHOs
We support the education and training of social workers to become mental health officers through setting professional standards and competencies. We also monitor and quality assure the Mental Health Officer Award programmes which are approved by us and delivered by universities.
Download the Mental Health Officers Report 2023 here.
You can find more reports on our Workforce Data website.