Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
NHSE&I explained that the NHS was carrying 100,000 staff vacancies going into the pandemic.58 It...
Conclusion
NHSE&I explained that the NHS was carrying 100,000 staff vacancies going into the pandemic.58 It said the workforce had been boosted by around 20,000 students; retired NHS staff; and a further 600,000 volunteers (working across a range of public services, including the NHS) who stepped forward to work on the frontline during the crisis.59 Given the potential reliance on the student workforce in the event of a second wave, we asked about the operational impact of the NHS’s June decision to cut short its student nurse programme, which was providing paid placements. NHSE&I told us that this had always been the intention as final year students who qualified would move into substantial placements at more senior grades while second year students would need to return to the academic part of their courses.60
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
5.4 The NHS People Plan for 2020- 21: action for us all was published on 30 July 2020. The People Plan sets out action that NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and NHS employers will take over the coming months to ensure that NHS staff receive the support they need. The focus of this iteration of the People Plan has been on helping NHS people recover from the impact of the first peak of the pandemic and was developed in partnership with relevant professional and representative bodies.