Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Third Report - Workforce: recruitment, training and retention in health and social care
Health and Social Care Committee
HC 115
Published 25 July 2022
Recommendations
30
Accepted in Part
Para 118
UK medical school places require significant increase of 5,000 annually.
Recommendation
In the absence of an independent mechanism to assess the increase necessary, we agree with the recommendation of the Medical Schools Council and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges that the number of medical school places in the UK should …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepted the recommendation, noting it had already funded an additional 1,500 medical school places and temporarily lifted caps, and stated that a forthcoming Long Term Workforce Plan will set out actions to ensure sufficient staff, but it did not commit to the recommended increase of 5,000 places.
Department of Health and Social Care
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37
Accepted in Part
Temporary, bank, and agency staff require full access to NHS training.
Recommendation
NHS England must ensure that temporary, bank, and agency staff are given full access to NHS training to allow them to level up their skills, to ensure that they are able to sign up for additional shifts. (Paragraph 141) Working …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees in part to provide better training and career development pathways in social care to drive recruitment and retention and commits to improving knowledge, skills, health and wellbeing and recruitment policies, providing resources through Skills for Care, and removing barriers to collaborative planning and working.
Department of Health and Social Care
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69
Accepted in Part
Para 226
Decrease Health and Care Worker visa salary requirements and add care workers to shortage list.
Recommendation
The Government should report on how many care workers have been issued with Health and Care Worker visas since the scheme was launched. The salary requirement for the visa should be decreased to the average salary for a social care …
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Government Response Summary
The government reported that 56,900 care worker visas were granted in 2022, noting that care workers were added to the Health and Care Visa and Shortage Occupation List in February 2022. However, they rejected the recommendation to reduce the minimum salary requirement, citing it as a cornerstone of the Points Based System.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Conclusions (1)
71
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 233
The NHS must undertake a review of its recruitment processes to ensure that no international health and care staff are being subject to punitive repayment clauses in their contracts. Those who are subject to repayment clauses must be released from them, and future NHS contracts must not contain repayment clauses.
Government Response Summary
NHS England (NHSE) requires all trusts to follow the UK Ethical Code of Practice, which has been updated to ensure repayment clauses are transparent, proportionate, flexible, and taper down over time. NHSE will continue to explore further guidance with partners.