South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne warmly welcomes the new NHS Long-Term Plan, which sets out a comprehensive strategy to train, retain, and reform the healthcare workforce in England. This plan is an integral part of the NHS's pioneering Long-Term Workforce Plan, dedicated to achieving a crucial government priority: reducing waiting lists.

With an investment of £2.4 billion over the next five years, this plan represents a substantial long-term investment that will train more doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacy staff, dental professionals, and others to meet the health needs of the population. It also aims to retain the dedicated NHS workforce by improving flexibility, culture, leadership, and wellbeing. Additionally, the plan seeks to reform the way healthcare staff work, ensuring they have the right multidisciplinary skills and can harness digital and technological innovations, allowing them to focus on patient care.

Released during the NHS's 75th anniversary week, the Workforce Plan outlines the NHS's strategy to address existing vacancies and tackle the challenges presented by a growing and aging population through recruitment and retaining hundreds of thousands more staff over a span of 15 years, while adopting new approaches to work.

By 2031, the targets include doubling medical school places for student doctors to 15,000 per year, increasing GP trainee places by 50% from 4,000 to 6,000, adding 24,000 nurse and midwife student places annually, doubling training places for nursing associates to over 10,000 by 2031, and increasing training places for physician associates to 10,000 by 2036.

This plan presents a unique opportunity to establish sustainable long-term staffing solutions and enhance patient care. It focuses on retaining the existing talent within the NHS workforce and leveraging digital and technological innovations to reform the way healthcare staff work. Moreover, it constitutes the largest expansion of training opportunities in the history of the health service, aiming to bridge the current gap.

Philip Dunne MP said,

“To mark the 75th anniversary of our National Health Service, the government is embarking on an unprecedented endeavour - the largest single expansion of NHS education and training in history. This visionary plan reflects a substantial investment and a steadfast commitment to transformative reform.

“As a former Health Minister, I have been a staunch advocate for a long-term workforce plan for a considerable time, and I am delighted to this now becomes a reality. This initiative will support our dedicated existing workforce helping meet the Prime Minister’s determination to reduce waiting lists.”