Conclusion 19

The NHS continues to have around 40,000 nursing vacancies and 9,000 vacancies for medical staff. Local NHS bodies have also reported that staffing shortages are one of the biggest risks to delivering the NHS Long Term Plan. The NHS’s own estimates indicate that 35 Qq 38, 51 36 Qq 45–46, 53, 57; C&AG’s Report Review of capital expenditure in the NHS, para 8 37 NHS England, The NHS Long Term Plan, para 6.3, August 2019 38 Q53; C&AG’s Report Review of capital expenditure in the NHS, para 16 39 C&AG’s report Review of capital expenditure in the NHS, Figure 16 40 Qq 47, 53 41 Q55 42 Qq 29, 43–45, 50 NHS capital expenditure and financial management 13 demand for nurses is likely to outstrip supply for some years to come.43 We asked NHSE&I what impact these shortages had on the COVID-19 response. NHSE&I commended the response of NHS staff, not only the current workforce, but also staff returning to the workforce and nursing and medical students, who have all come together at very short notice. It told us that: around 8,900 clinical staff, nurses, therapists and midwives had been redeployed back to frontline services and another 1,800 joined the coronavirus 111 service; and 30,000 student nurses, midwives and allied health professionals came forward to be deployed into paid placements, as did 3,000 final-year medical students. However, it stressed that this is not sustainable and it is considering alternative options for training new staff.44