s 12IG Duty to ensure appropriate staffing: number of registered healthcare professionals etc.
(1) The Scottish Ministers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that there is a sufficient number of— (a) registered nurses, (b) registered midwives, (c) medical practitioners, and (d) such other types of employees as the Scottish Ministers may by regulations prescribe, available to every Health Board, relevant Special Health Board and the Agency to enable the Health Board and the Agency to comply with the duty in section 12IA. (2) In fulfilling their obligations under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers must have regard to— (a) the number of people training for professions mentioned in or by virtue of subsection (1) in Scotland, (b) any information as to variation in staffing needs caused by differences in the geographical areas for which Health Boards are responsible, for example in areas containing rural or island communities, and (c) any information provided to them by a Health Board, relevant Special Health Board or the Agency about how it has carried out its duties under this Act. (3) As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year, the Scottish Ministers must lay before the Parliament a report setting out— (a) how they have complied with subsection (1), and (b) the extent to which Ministers' compliance with subsection (1) enabled Health Boards, relevant Special Health Boards and the Agency to comply with the duty imposed by section 12IA.