Medical ACT funding is distributed to the Boards via NES by means of a fixed “pot” which is notified annually by the Scottish Government just prior to the start of a new financial year. Distribution of funding is made according to an allocation model; this funding is regarded as a contribution towards the Boards’ costs of delivering clinical teaching to undergraduate medical students but is not designed to reimburse the full costs incurred. The only exception to this is the ScotGEM programme which received ringfenced funding again during 2021-22.

In 2021, the total Medical ACT budget was £96.6m, which represents an ongoing increase over several years primarily due to investment by the Scottish Government in additional student places, along with a focus on developing undergraduate medical education in primary care (see table below for details).

Programme for Government (PfG) outlines the growth in the medical workforce anticipated for NHS Scotland, which aspired to fund an extra 100 medical student places for each year of this parliamentary term. The first cohort was implemented for the intake in 2021-22 academic year, with an additional 100 places coming into the system during 2022-23 and 2023-24.

During 2021-22, an extra 100 undergraduate medical student places continued as part of PfG expansion. In addition, a further 55 students joined programmes having deferred their entry from the previous academic year and 10 further widening access places were also funded

An extra 30 places at University of Aberdeen as part of the GP Enhanced Programme (GPEP) and 30 places at University of Glasgow as part of the COMET programme (Community Orientated Medical Experience Track) entered their final year in 2023-24. In addition, a further 35 students entered year 1 of the Edinburgh HCP-Med Programme; this is a 5-year graduate entry medical programme with a primary care focus, aimed towards recruiting established health care professionals. The programme began with 25 students annually in 2020-21, with the first cohort of graduates expected at the end of academic year 2024/25.

Medical ACT works on an annual cycle which follows key indicative dates; this allows external stakeholders to work with the Medical ACT team, to achieve the operational targets needed to distribute and performance manage the funding.

Please note this is indicative only and is subject to influence of external factors including changes in policy directive from Scottish Government or delays in receiving data from Scottish Funding Council or NHS Boards.

Table showing longitudinal trend

Bids Cycle and Monthly Processes Apr 23 – Mar 24

Allocation Letters

• Total Medical ACT Budget £116,230,118
• Allocation Letters sent to Boards 18^th April 2023
• Edinburgh HCP-Med Allocation Letters (Years 1-3) were circulated to Boards on 3^rd October 2023 (requires Programme to confirm student placement sites to ensure that funding follows the student)