Supporting Our NHS Workforce
Building a stronger NHS and empowering the future of Healthcare: Our NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan for a Resilient Tomorrow.
In 2023 we celebrated the NHS’ 75th birthday and as we reflect on the unwavering dedication of the NHS’ hardworking staff, the backbone of our healthcare system, we must also recognise the workforce challenges ahead. To prepare for now and the future, coordinated workforce planning is a must if we want to optimise the use of the current skills and effectively forecasting for future needs.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic only intensified these challenges, demanding unprecedented efforts from our services and placing immense pressure on our staff.
To address these issues, the government tasked the NHS to create a Long-Term Workforce Plan – a roadmap to guide the NHS through the next 15 years. This plan goes beyond addressing the current challenges but also sets out to revolutionise the way workforce planning is approached, ensuring a resilient and adaptive NHS for the future.
The NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan is not just a document; it represents a commitment to change and a crucial step in reshaping NHS workforce planning. The plan outlines that we need to:
- Train more staff – growing our workforce and their skills,
- Retain our dedicated workforce – embedding the right culture and improving retention,
- Reform our working methods – working and training differently, to better serve the evolving needs of our patients.
Building on previous work and recommendations, the plan incorporates insights from over 100 stakeholders across more than 60 organisations and as an iterative plan, it will be regularly updated to adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring it remains a dynamic tool for operational and strategic planning.
Collaboration with NHS staff, employers, clinical leaders, royal colleges, and others will help to bring these ambitions to life.