Responding to NHS England’s workforce plan, , Chief Executive of The
King’s Fund said:
‘Based on what we have seen so far, publication of this plan
could prove to be a landmark moment - the first comprehensive
long-term strategy for the NHS workforce, and the essential first
step to overcome the current workforce crisis. A national focus
on training, and reform, with some initial financial commitment
from government to back the plan, should start to place the NHS
workforce on a sustainable footing.
‘The plan comes after years of chronic NHS staff shortages, as
well as existing staff being stretched thinly. Our analysis shows
just how deeply a new approach is needed as we compared the UK to
international healthcare systems and found the UK has strikingly
low levels of key clinical staff, with fewer doctors and nurses
per head than most of its peers.
‘Of course, the plan needs to be delivered but the commitment to
updating the plan every two years provides hope that it will be a
lasting way out of the recurrent workforce shortages that have
plagued the NHS over decades. The future projections of workforce
supply and demand it provides should help politicians and
policymakers to lift their heads up from immediate crises and
consider the long-term challenges coming down the track.
‘But the projections are likely to be based on ambitious
productivity assumptions. There needs to be realism about the
investment in buildings, technology and equipment that is needed
to realise those productivity gains.
‘And while the announcement includes a welcome commitment to
boost staff training places, we are yet to see much of the detail
on the measures to retain current NHS staff, or to improve the
culture and working environment of the health service. More NHS
strikes are planned and the latest staff survey shows work
culture, bullying and harassment continue to be a real issue, and
nearly one in 10 staff experience discrimination. There is much
more that can be done to make the NHS an attractive place to work
and build a career.
‘The expansion of training places comes with some additional
funding, but we haven’t yet seen the detail of how this funding
will be phased – and whether it will be sustained – over many
years. Delivery of the wider ambitions of the plan will need
sustained investment, and therefore will rest on any future
governments throwing their weight behind the strategy, to give
the NHS the support and stability it needs.
‘Once this plan for the NHS has been published, the government
should complete its work and create a sister plan for social
care, with its own funding and own projections. This will be
pivotal to achieving the ambitions in this NHS plan, and to
ensuring people have the care they expect and deserve.’
