Recommendation 15

We asked witnesses why NHS productivity continues to be lower than before the pandemic. NHSE told us the NHS currently has 19% more staff compared to before the pandemic but is only seeing 14% more patients. It named several factors as contributing to the ongoing difference.24 NHSE highlighted that the population is getting older with more complex and acute health needs, meaning length of stay in hospitals are becoming longer, and increased post-pandemic infection control which limits efficiency. NHSE also noted the impact on productivity of workforce sickness levels which, while reduced significantly from a recent peak, still remained higher than pre- pandemic.25 They pointed to examples where progress had been made such as reducing the use of temporary agency staff and better use of generic 21 Q 29 22 Q 32 23 C&AG’s Report, paras 3.11, 3.15 and 4.26 24 Q 12 25 Qq 8, 49 11 pharmaceuticals. But the rise in average lengths of stay in hospitals, in part due to the lack of availability of social care and community health services, was a factor in preventing a return to earlier levels of productivity.26