Today we have published the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – a plan developed by the NHS, backed by investment from government and created in collaboration with our staff and experts.
This will deliver the biggest increase in training numbers in our 75-year history with record numbers of nurses, doctors, dentists, Allied Health Professionals and other key healthcare staff to address the gaps in the current workforce and meet the challenge of a growing and ageing population.
Since the founding of the NHS 75 years ago, we have relied on the skill and dedication of staff who came here from around the world, and there will always be a place for them in the NHS. But as global demand for healthcare workers grows, we need to train more people here to future proof the NHS.
Increasing recruitment is not enough on its own so we are also setting out how we will retain more staff and use tech to free up them up to do what they do best: care for patients.
Our staff have told us that they want opportunities to progress and learn throughout their working life, so this plan also looks at how to deliver on the commitments in the NHS People Promise, ensuring we can attract and retain talent and support our teams.
Things will not change overnight but this NHS workforce plan represents a once in a generation opportunity to put staffing on a sustainable footing.
Read the full plan at NHS England » NHS Long Term Workforce Plan