Who you'll work for in NHS Scotland
When you get a job with NHS Scotland, you're employed by the health board named on the job advert. Your pay, terms and core workforce policies are the same whichever board you work for.
NHS Scotland is made up of health boards
There are 14 regional health boards and 7 national health boards. Whichever board you join, you're part of NHS Scotland.
Regional health boards
Regional health boards plan and deliver health services for the people who live in their area. They run hospitals, health centres and community services, so most of our jobs are with a regional board.
| Regional health board | Headquarters address |
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | Eglinton House, Ailsa Hospital, Dalmellington Road, Ayr KA6 6AB |
| NHS Borders | Borders General Hospital, Melrose TD6 9BS |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | Ground North, Mountainhall Treatment Centre, Dumfries DG1 4AP |
| NHS Fife | Hayfield House, Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy KY2 5AH |
| NHS Forth Valley | Carseview House, Castle Business Park, Stirling FK9 4SW |
| NHS Grampian | Summerfield House, 2 Eday Road, Aberdeen AB15 6RE |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | J B Russell House, Gartnavel Royal Hospital Campus, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0XH |
| NHS Highland | Assynt House, Beechwood Park, Inverness IV2 3BW |
| NHS Lanarkshire | Kirklands Hospital, Fallside Road, Bothwell G71 8BB |
| NHS Lothian | Waverley Gate, 2 to 4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG |
| NHS Orkney | The Balfour, Foreland Road, Kirkwall KW15 1NZ |
| NHS Shetland | Upper Floor Montfield, Burgh Road, Lerwick ZE1 0LA |
| NHS Tayside | Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY |
| NHS Western Isles | 37 South Beach, Stornoway HS1 2BB |
National health boards
National health boards provide specialist services, or services for everyone in Scotland. Many of their jobs are in central Scotland, but some, like the Scottish Ambulance Service, employ people all over the country.
There are 4 national health boards located at the same address in Edinburgh. They have been grouped together on the map, therefore only 1 map pin is shown.
| National health board | What they do | Headquarters address |
| Healthcare Improvement Scotland | Supports health and care services to improve quality. | Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB |
| NHS 24 | Runs the 111 phone service in Scotland and the NHS Inform website. | Caledonia House, Fifty Pitches Road, Cardonald Park, Glasgow G51 4EB |
| NHS Golden Jubilee | Runs a national hospital for specialist and planned care. | Beardmore Street, Clydebank G81 4HX |
| Public Health Scotland | Leads work to protect and improve the nation's health. | Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB |
| Public Services Delivery Scotland | Provides education, training and shared services for NHS Scotland. | Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB |
| Scottish Ambulance Service | Provides emergency and patient transport services across Scotland. | Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB |
| The State Hospital | Provides high-security forensic mental health care. | Carstairs, Lanark ML11 8RP |
What's the same wherever you work
- Most staff are paid under Agenda for Change, the national pay system. Doctors, dentists and senior managers have their own national pay systems. [Your pay and benefits]
- Once for Scotland workforce policies cover your core employment rights, such as attendance, flexible working and employment checks. [Our workforce policies]
- Every board shares the NHS Scotland core values and uses them to recruit. [Our values]
- Most jobs are advertised and applied for on the same recruitment website. You can also visit GP Jobs, Practice Jobs, and the Scottish Government's Public Appointments website for other roles.
What can be different
- Where you'll work and how you'll get there, whether that's a city hospital, a rural health centre or an island community.
- Local benefits and staff discounts on top of the national package.
- Each board's own priorities, services and ways of working.
- Employer awards which some boards hold and others may be working towards.
How to research a health board before you apply
Knowing about the employer helps you answer "Why do you want to work for the NHS?" in your application and at interview.
- Read the job pack: it includes information about the board and the team you could join.
- Spend 10 minutes on the board's news page: look for local and national priorities you could mention.
- Check the board's values and strategy: many boards add their own values or priorities to the NHS Scotland core values.
- Ask the hiring manager: their contact details are on the advert, and they're happy to talk about the day-to-day role.
Spend 10 minutes on their news page to see local or national priorities.
Our commitments as an employer
NHS Scotland boards take part in schemes that show how we support people at work, including Disability Confident, Carer Positive, the Armed Forces Covenant, Investors in People and Investors in Young People.
Find out what our employer commitments mean.
