The health and social care sectors will respectively require an additional 475,000 and 490,000 jobs by the early part of the next decade (UK Parliament - House of Lords Library)
It's important to note email list uk that the working environment of both clinical and non-clinical staff constitutes our "care environment". As such, these issues directly affect the quality of care received by patients and the overall population.
Given the overwhelming backlog of patients and the growing number of future patients, coupled with the challenges faced by the workforce, change is necessary.
In June 2023, the government issued its NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. It is described as:
“The first comprehensive workforce plan for the NHS, putting staffing on a sustainable footing and improving patient care. It focuses on retaining existing talent and making the best use of new technology alongside the biggest recruitment drive in health service history.”
NHS England
The plan outlines three key aspects of its strategy to address the workforce crisis:
Train - Domestic education and training will need to increase by between 50%–65% by 2023.
Retain - To retain its workforce, the NHS must cultivate a supportive culture. The plan highlights the link between an engaged, happy workforce and positive patient outcomes and safety. By fostering the right culture and meeting staff's core needs, the NHS can deliver sustainable, high-quality services.