On the 30th of June, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan was published. Developed in collaboration with the NHS, staff groups, and experts, and with the full support of the Government, this plan marks a historic milestone for the NHS. It provides an important opportunity to establish a sustainable foundation for our healthcare system, ensuring that it can meet the challenges posed by modern society.

There is no denying that the past few years have been some of the most challenging in the NHS’ 75-year history. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have undoubtedly presented challenges to the healthcare system. The need to adapt to new safety measures, manage increased demand, and prioritise urgent cases placed considerable strain on healthcare resources. Nevertheless, the passion, commitment, and specialist knowledge of our healthcare workers is part of what makes our NHS so special. These people deliver such an important service in our country and the NHS is something to be valued and protected.

 

This is the first time that the NHS has produced a comprehensive long term workforce plan, and it represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put staffing on a sustainable footing for the future. This collective workforce plan for the NHS and sets out a clear direction for the long term. The certainty of confirmed funding up to 2028 allows for actions locally, regionally, and nationally to address the gaps present in the current workforce and meet the challenge of a changing population.

The Government is backing the plan with over £2.4 billion for additional education and training places over the next five years, in addition to existing investments that will reach a record-breaking £6.1 billion over the next two years. This long-term financial commitment demonstrates the dedication to transforming the future of the NHS and ensuring its sustainability. While decisions about future spending review periods will be made closer to the time, this announcement reaffirms the commitment to realising the plan's objectives in its entirety.

There has been significant progress already made in expanding the NHS workforce. In the past year alone, the Government have welcomed nearly 59,000 more staff, including over 5,800 doctors and almost 14,900 nurses. This commitment to expanding the workforce is clear with 50,000 more nurses expected to join the NHS by next year, surpassing the target ahead of schedule. Furthermore, the number medical school places have expanded by 25%, and efforts to hire 29,000 additional primary care staff are well underway. These achievements are just the beginning, as we strive to keep improving the NHS.

 

How will the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan action the plan?

1. Training for the Future

One of the pillars of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan is the significant expansion of education and training opportunities. By investing in record levels of education and training, along with apprenticeships and alternative routes into professional roles, the Government aims to deliver more doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals. This expansion will address the existing gaps in the NHS workforce and empower the ability to meet the evolving needs of patients. The Government are committed to nurturing new roles that better align with changing patient needs and support the ongoing transformation of care.

The key points are as follows:

• An aim to double the number of medical school places from the current 7,500 to 15,000 by 2031. Priority will be given to areas with the greatest shortages to address geographic inequity and level up training. Additionally, a higher proportion of medical students will receive postgraduate training in services like primary care, mental health, and cancer. The first batch of new medical school places will be available starting in September 2025.
• To ensure more doctors enter primary care, the Government plans to increase the number of General Practitioner (GP) training places by 50%, adding 2,000 more places to reach a total of 6,000 by 2031. The first 500 new places will be available from September 2025.
• To address the shortage of nurses, the Government aims to almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, adding around 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places each year. This expansion will also include the training of over 5,000 more mental health and learning disability nurses annually.
• Dentistry training places will be expanded by 40%, adding 300 more places for dentists and dental care practitioners by 2031.

The objective of these domestic training expansions is to reduce reliance on agency staff and international recruitment. The Government aims for only 10% of the healthcare workforce to be recruited internationally in 15 years, compared to the current figure of nearly a quarter.

2. Retaining Our Talented Staff

The Government recognises the importance of retaining the NHS’ dedicated healthcare professionals within the NHS. To achieve this, the Long Term Workforce Plan focuses on enhancing support for our staff throughout their careers. By offering greater flexibility in work arrangements, improving culture and leadership within NHS organisations, and prioritising staff well-being, this aims to create an environment that empowers healthcare heroes to thrive. The Government believes that by investing in NHS staff, the talented individuals within the health service will want to remain, benefiting both our dedicated professionals and the patients they care for. The goal is to reduce the number of staff leaving the NHS by up to 130,000 over the next 15 years.

To achieve this, the following measures have been outlined:

• Enhancing flexible opportunities for prospective retirees, allowing them to remain in the NHS workforce for longer. Additionally, efforts will be made to facilitate the return of those who have already left, offering flexible contracted roles or temporary positions.
• Implementing pension scheme reforms that enable staff to partially retire or seamlessly return to work after retirement while continuing to build their pension. This complements the pension tax reforms introduced in the Spring Budget, which aim to ensure doctors are not discouraged from continuing their NHS work or taking on additional hours or responsibilities.
• Ensuring ongoing national funding for continuing professional development for nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals. This commitment aims to support NHS staff in reaching their full potential by providing opportunities for skill enhancement and career advancement.
• Improving childcare support for NHS staff, with specific changes announced in the Spring Budget that will benefit working parents over the next three years. These measures are aimed at helping NHS employees balance their work and family responsibilities more effectively, thereby enabling them to remain in the workforce.By implementing these initiatives, the NHS and the Government aim to create a more supportive and attractive working environment, ultimately reducing staff attrition and improving staff retention within the NHS.

3. Reforming for Efficiency and Innovation

To improve productivity and maximise the time healthcare professionals spend with patients, the Long Term Workforce Plan emphasises working and training in innovative ways. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, embracing technological advancements, and implementing new training strategies, this can build broader teams with flexible skills. This will enable the delivery of services where they are most needed. The plan also looks towards automation and digital tools to streamline administrative tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on what they do best – providing compassionate care.

The key points are as follows:

• Embracing digital and technological advancements, including AI, speech recognition, robotic process automation, and remote monitoring. These technologies can support healthcare professionals and automate a significant portion, with estimates suggesting 44% of administrative tasks in general practice, freeing up time for patient care.
• Expanding the availability of enhanced, advanced, and associate positions within the healthcare workforce. This includes roles such as nursing associates, physician associates, anaesthesia associates, and advanced clinical practitioners. By utilising these positions, the NHS can enhance the capacity and capabilities of the healthcare workforce.
• Exploring measures to encourage dentists to allocate a greater proportion of their time to delivering NHS care. This can help increase access to dental services within the NHS.
• Utilising the opportunities presented by the UK's exit from the EU to potentially reduce the number of clinical placement hours for nurses. This would be accompanied by support for educational institutions to enable trainees to join the nursing register up to four months earlier, facilitating their entry into the workforce.
• Supporting medical schools in transitioning from five-year to four-year degree programs for doctors. Additionally, a medical internship program will be piloted, which aims to shorten undergraduate training time. These initiatives will be implemented following approval from the General Medical Council, the regulator for medical education in the UK.

By adopting these strategies, the NHS intends to optimise the use of technology, create new healthcare roles, and streamline training programs to improve efficiency, increase workforce capacity, and ultimately enhance patient care.

 

The Long Term Workforce Plan sets ambitious targets for the future. By 2036/37, we anticipate having at least an additional 60,000 doctors, 170,000 more nurses, and 71,000 more allied health professionals in place. This vision of a robust and capable workforce will help deliver exceptional care to patients now and for generations to come. The Government are committed to working closely with NHS staff, listening to their concerns and aspirations, and ensuring that their invaluable contributions shape the ongoing development and implementation of this plan.

The NHS is nothing without its dedicated and skilled staff. They have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and commitment, especially during these challenging times. The publication of the Long Term Workforce Plan represents a vital step forward in securing the future of our healthcare system. By investing in training, retention, and reforms, we can build a sustainable NHS that meets the needs of our growing population and continues to provide high-quality care.

The future of our NHS depends on all of us, working hand in hand, for the well-being of patients and the nation.