What funding has been set aside to encourage skilled professionals to return to the NHS, as referred to in chapter 6 of Partnership for Car…

The Scottish Executive is taking action to build capacity in NHSScotland. Return to Practice schemes are an important part of that and some examples are given:£2 million has been allocated to NHS boards, spread over 2002-03 and 2003-04 to fund Return to Practice for nurses and midwives who have taken a break from their careers. This should allow between 400 and 600 nurses and midwives to return to NHSScotland.£100,000 has been allocated for Return to Practice for the Allied Health Professions in the next financial year. Programmes to support this will need to be developed and funding will be reviewed thereafter.The on-going recruitment and retention package announced for dentistry includes the introduction of an enhanced "return to work" scheme under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative to encourage dentists who have taken career breaks to return to general dental practice and provide NHS dental services on a sessional basis. Under the previous scheme, a returning dentist could earn up to £2,000 for working up to 200 NHS sessions in the year following return, with an equivalent payment for the practice owner. The revised scheme will enable the returner and practice owner to earn up to £6,750 each where the returner works up to 450 sessions. The revised scheme is also open to dentists returning to NHS orthodontic practice.