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
8
Acknowledged
Para 57
Publish clear plan for recruiting additional midwives and obstetricians for safe maternity staffing.
Recommendation
In July 2021, we recommended that NHS England needed an additional 1,932 midwives and 496 obstetricians to operate at a level that Birthrate Plus considered safe. Rather than adding to their headcount, NHS England has lost 552 midwives between March …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that the NHS has faced significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting staffing levels. They outline steps to improve recruitment and retention of midwives, including increasing training places, launching a recruitment campaign, providing financial support for childcare, investing in technology, and offering flexible working arrangements and wellbeing support.
Department of Health and Social Care
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25
Acknowledged
Para 103
Reform NHS pension scheme to prevent senior staff early retirement and reduced hours.
Recommendation
It is a national scandal that senior medical staff are being forced to reduce their working contribution to the NHS or to leave it entirely because of NHS pension arrangements. Clearly, the Government’s changes to tax regulations have not gone …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response acknowledged the issue by referring to "Our Plan for Patients," which mentions increasing pension flexibilities to retain senior clinicians but provides no specific details or commitments regarding the reform of the NHS pension scheme itself.
Department of Health and Social Care
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26
Acknowledged
Explore methods to replicate temporary suspension of NHS pension regulations post-pandemic.
Recommendation
The temporary suspension of regulations governing the administration of NHS pensions, made under the Coronavirus Act 2020, helped to ameliorate this issue during the pandemic. The Government should consider ways to achieve the same outcome now the pandemic is behind …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response acknowledged the issue by referring to "Our Plan for Patients," which includes commitments to increasing pension flexibilities to retain senior clinicians, but provided no specific details or commitment to considering ways to achieve the outcome of suspended pension regulations.
Department of Health and Social Care
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27
Acknowledged
Para 105
Develop a national NHS 'retire and return' policy replacing ad hoc local schemes.
Recommendation
NHSE should develop a national NHS “retire and return” policy to replace ad hoc local schemes. In the short term, the Government should instruct NHS England to require NHS Trusts to follow pension recycling guidance it has already issued to …
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Government Response Summary
The government states its 'Our Plan for Patients' includes commitments to expand the health and care workforce by supporting senior staff retention, increasing pension flexibilities, and using staff to the full extent of their qualifications, but does not specifically address a national 'retire and return' policy or pension recycling guidance.
Department of Health and Social Care
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33
Acknowledged
Expand places at 2018 cohort medical schools starting academic year 2023–24.
Recommendation
The 2018 cohort of medical schools are proving a success story in terms of widening participation, and in producing cohorts of local doctors who are more likely to stay local to their training centre once they have graduated. The Government …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the need for robust, long term, workforce planning and have commissioned two pieces of work to support this: the HEE led long term strategic framework (Framework 15) and the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, and committed to publishing the Long Term Workforce Plan shortly.
Department of Health and Social Care
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34
Acknowledged
Para 128
Ensure appropriate funding for all medical schools to train UK students.
Recommendation
If the 2018 cohort are dependent on international recruitment, the benefit of their placement in under-doctored areas is likely to be eroded. The Government must ensure that the 2018 cohort, and all medical schools, are appropriately funded to train UK …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the need for robust, long term, workforce planning and have commissioned two pieces of work to support this: the HEE led long term strategic framework (Framework 15) and the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, and committed to publishing the Long Term Workforce Plan shortly.
Department of Health and Social Care
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50
Acknowledged
Reducing bureaucracy and administrative tasks improves frontline workers' mental health and headspace.
Recommendation
In this context, it is important that the Government looks at ways of improving short term efficiency to promote positive mental health and headspace for all frontline workers. It could do this through looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy—perhaps through …
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Government Response Summary
The government is keen to explore all avenues to improve frontline efficiency, referring to the NHS Long Term Plan's commitment to technology and the 'What Good Looks Like' framework and 'digital playbooks', as well as the Framework for Action to support NHS staff wellbeing.
Department of Health and Social Care
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59
Acknowledged
Para 196
Restore social care staff free access to NHS training by July 2023.
Recommendation
Better training and career development pathways in social care will be an essential part of driving recruitment and retention in the sector. The Government must commit to restoring social care staff free access to the same NHS training as community …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of training and development for social care staff, outlining existing funding through Skills for Care and the Workforce Development Fund, and committing to work with partners to identify joint training opportunities.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Conclusions (5)
32
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 120
Should the Government increase the number of medical school places, they must consider an appropriate increase in the size and resourcing of medical schools, including in their facilities and faculty, as well as increased numbers of clinical placements spread throughout the country, and more speciality training positions for the increased …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the need for robust, long term, workforce planning and have commissioned two pieces of work to support this: the HEE led long term strategic framework (Framework 15) and the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, and committed to publishing the Long Term Workforce Plan shortly.
51
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 181
Witnesses to this inquiry left us in no doubt that pay is a crucial factor in recruitment and retention in social care. Social care providers are consistently being outbid by the retail and hospitality sectors. However, whilst pay increases are sorely needed, merely raising wages is not enough. A long-term, …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of pay and a long-term strategy for social care, noting additional funding of up to £2.8 billion in 23-24 and £4.7 billion in 24-25, and an increase in the National Living Wage. It will publish a plan for adult social care system reform that will support the workforce.
57
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 190
The work that social carers do is essential to the lives of those who are cared for, and to their families. It is vital that they are treated by the Government and by wider society with the same respect as their NHS colleagues. It is not until parity of esteem …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of treating social carers with respect, recognising their commitment, and states its vision for a supported and recognised ASC workforce outlined in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper.
58
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 191
The value of continuity of care in social care settings, particularly for people who rely on non-verbal communication, is undeniable. It is essential that the Government acts swiftly to implement the findings of this report to improve retention in the sector.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the vital importance of continuity of care and is committed to working with local authorities and independent providers to address recruitment and retention challenges, with its strategy outlined in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper.
73
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Local Authorities must evaluate the risk of modern slavery in their adult social care supply chains and ensure that the risk of modern slavery is assessed as part of the due diligence processes at the commissioning and contracting stage and in performance monitoring. They should ensure that there is effective …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and encourages Local Authorities to evaluate the risk of modern slavery in their adult social care supply chains and during due diligence processes. They also highlighted the ongoing engagement of Labour Market Enforcement bodies with external partners, including LAs.