NHS Long Term Workforce Plan launched

The UK government has now published its strategy for the NHS, the ‘NHS Long Term Workforce Plan’, which it calls ‘a strategic direction for the long term, as well as concrete and pragmatic action to be taken locally, regionally and nationally in the short to medium term’ (NHS England, 2023).

The document is divided into three main areas: training, retention and reform. It pledges to double the number of medical school training places to 15000 a year by 2031/32, increase the number of GP training places by 50% to 6000 by the same period, provide ‘flexible opportunities’ for prospective retirees, modernise the NHS pension scheme and provide ongoing funding for CPD for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. There is an intention to focus on ‘expanding enhanced, advanced and associate roles’, increasing numbers of staff from 1–5%, with 6300 starting advanced practice pathways by the end of the Plan.