25 November 2022
Dunne Welcomes Doctor and Nurse Uplift

Figures released yesterday show there are a record number of nurses and doctors in the NHS workforce in England.

Official figures from NHS Digital show that since September 2021, over 9,000 more nurses and almost 4,000 doctors have been recruited into NHS England to deliver more appointments, speed up diagnosis and tackle the Covid backlog.

Since 2010, over 34,000 doctors and nearly 45,000 nurses have been recruited, meaning the Government are well on track to hit their manifesto commitment to recruit 50,000 more nurses by 2024.

Local MP Philip Dunne, has welcomed the new figures, saying:

“It is critical that we recruit extra nurses and doctors in the NHS to tackle the backlog caused by the pandemic and to deliver the high standard of care that we all expect from our NHS. As a former Health Minister with responsibility for workforce, I know first-hand the dedication and ability of our NHS heroes who saved countless lives that could have been lost to Covid.

“Today’s figures include nearly 1,000 more doctors across the Midlands and nearly 1,500 more nurses in hospitals across the region.

“The NHS in Shropshire has long faced challenges in attracting new recruits due to our rural situation, which is why I also welcome the Chancellor’s recent announcement that a long term NHS workforce plan will be introduced in the coming months to better predict the workforce we need to deliver exceptional care.

“This also needs to address the challenges posed by early retirement by doctors and nurses as the workforce as a whole needs to grow to cope with the increased demand on our health system.”