Scottish Government failed to provide legally required health checks for around 600 staff

The Scottish Government has been hit with an improvement notice after it failed to provide legally required health checks for around 600 employees.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the Government made two breaches linked to the statutory health surveillance of staff.

In a notice served by the HSE, the public body determined that there was not a “suitable system in place for the planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of statutory health surveillance”.

STV News understands that the issue affects hundreds of staff in a specific group of operational roles, equating to around 7% of the Scottish Government’s full-time equivalent employees.

A spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of staff, contractors and stakeholders.

“We note the Health and Safety Executive’s position. This supports the ongoing review of our processes, and the steps we have already put in place to address the HSE’s findings.”

The Scottish Government has until November 16 to comply with the notice.