Recommendations & Conclusions
5 items
8
Conclusion
Seventy-Third Report - Access to urgent…
Acknowledged
A key element of NHS England’s plans for the NHS over the coming years is the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023.16 Despite the decline in productivity in recent years, NHS England’s projections for future staff requirements in its workforce plan assume that NHS labour productivity will …
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A key element of NHS England’s plans for the NHS over the coming years is the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023.16 Despite the decline in productivity in recent years, NHS England’s projections for future staff requirements in its workforce plan assume that NHS labour productivity will increase by 1.5% to 2% by 2036–37. The workforce plan says that modelling to support this productivity improvement assumes that the NHS could deliver a higher level of productivity than the long term trends.17
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees (with what appears to be a conclusion) and states that improving productivity, including reducing staff absences and improving processes, is a key component of existing recovery plans. NHS England will provide further details on factors impacting productivity and future plans in a …
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HM Treasury
23
Conclusion
Seventy-Third Report - Access to urgent…
Acknowledged
We have been raising concerns about the lack of long-term planning for the NHS workforce since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, noting in February 2023 that the Department had repeatedly failed to make good on its commitments to publish a plan to address the issue and that that many areas …
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We have been raising concerns about the lack of long-term planning for the NHS workforce since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, noting in February 2023 that the Department had repeatedly failed to make good on its commitments to publish a plan to address the issue and that that many areas of the NHS workforce appeared to be in crisis.61 NHS England published its NHS Long Term Workforce Plan on 30 June 2023. NHS England assured us that the new plan gives hope that there is a line of sight to a sustainable future staffing model for the NHS, for current staff and also those joining in the future.62 Recruitment and retention
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings regarding workforce planning, confirming that NHS England's Long Term Workforce Plan, including a revised retention programme, is in motion to address challenges and reduce staff attrition rates by 2037.
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HM Treasury
24
Conclusion
Seventy-Third Report - Access to urgent…
Acknowledged
In the workforce plan, NHS England estimates that over a 15-year period, without action, there would be a shortfall of 260,000 to 360,000 staff by 2036–37. NHS England explained that, because it takes time to train people and that they would be completing training over the course of the 15 …
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In the workforce plan, NHS England estimates that over a 15-year period, without action, there would be a shortfall of 260,000 to 360,000 staff by 2036–37. NHS England explained that, because it takes time to train people and that they would be completing training over the course of the 15 years, the plan also includes a commitment to retention as well as recruitment.63 NHS England described the rest of the workforce plan as a combination of reform and retention initiatives.64 NHS staff turnover in 2022–23 was about 9%, including some people who were promoted or went to other trusts or roles, and people who left the NHS.65 NHS England said that, over the whole period covered by the workforce plan, it would seek to retain 130,000 staff in the NHS who it would otherwise lose.66
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings, noting NHS England has revised its retention programme and the Exemplar programme shows improved leaver rates, with the Long Term Workforce Plan aiming to significantly reduce overall staff attrition by 2037.
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HM Treasury
25
Conclusion
Seventy-Third Report - Access to urgent…
Acknowledged
NHS England added that, in terms of the specific offers that it would be making, the two most significant elements were measures focused on flexibility and continuous career development.67 It informed us that much of the retention aspects of the plan was about doing what works, doing this systematically, and …
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NHS England added that, in terms of the specific offers that it would be making, the two most significant elements were measures focused on flexibility and continuous career development.67 It informed us that much of the retention aspects of the plan was about doing what works, doing this systematically, and supporting it to be spread across the NHS. NHS England told us that it had launched an NHS retention programme last year, to systematically apply the measures known to matter the most to people working in the NHS.68 In the 23 trusts piloting this programme, the rate of improvement in retention was twice that of the rest of the NHS.69 NHS England assured us there was confirmed and ongoing funding for continuous professional development, which while not new money, contained a commitment within the workforce plan that it would be maintained.70 Other issues that mattered to staff included leadership, particularly clinical leadership, workload and pay.71
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings, stating NHS England has revised its retention programme and the Exemplar programme shows improved leaver rates, with the Long Term Workforce Plan aiming to significantly reduce overall staff attrition by 2037.
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HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
Seventy-Third Report - Access to urgent…
Acknowledged
We asked about the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, since absence rates in the NHS workforce have remained higher since the start of the pandemic than the 61 Committee of Public Accounts, Sustainability and transformation in the NHS, Twenty-Ninth report of Session 2017–19, HC 793, 27 March 2018; Committee …
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We asked about the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, since absence rates in the NHS workforce have remained higher since the start of the pandemic than the 61 Committee of Public Accounts, Sustainability and transformation in the NHS, Twenty-Ninth report of Session 2017–19, HC 793, 27 March 2018; Committee of Public Accounts, Introducing integrated care systems, Thirty- Fifth report of Session 2022–23, HC 47, 8 February 2023. 62 Qq 2, 3 63 Q 25 64 Q 10 65 Qq 77, 79 66 Q 25 67 Q 31 68 Q 34 69 Q 91 70 Q 34 71 Qq 79–80, 91, 93 Access to urgent and emergency care 15 long-term average of 4.2% over the previous 10 years.72 The Department informed us that the absence figure in February 2023 was 5%.73 NHS England explained that there were ongoing long-term effects from the pandemic in terms of the well-being of NHS staff, and that some staff were impacted by long Covid as well.74 There were three main reasons why staff were off sick. The first was musculoskeletal issues, which is a longstanding issue across the health service. In addition, respiratory conditions and mental health issues had increased.75 NHS England wrote to us after the evidence session and informed us that these three conditions accounted for over one million sick days in February 2023, or 55% of all days that were lost.76 NHS England had also noted during the evidence session that in places which had focused on team-based models of working, sickness levels have gone down, morale had improved, and turnover had reduced.77
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations, noting the NHS is making progress in recovering lost productivity and reducing staff absences, with the Long Term Workforce Plan improving processes, and NHS England will provide further details on productivity factors and plans to the committee.
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HM Treasury