We've warned the Prime Minster that his promises to improve the NHS will not be met unless the workforce crisis is addressed. The workforce plan was originally earmarked for publication in Spring 2022 but has still not been published.
Dear Prime Minister,
As organisations representing the health professions, patients, NHS staff and NHS organisations, we are dismayed at the continuing delay in publishing a funded health workforce plan for England. We urge you to act by publishing a sustainable plan immediately. None of your policy commitments on health can be achieved unless we address the chronic workforce shortage.
Across all sectors, professions, specialities, condition pathways and services there are mass vacancies and insufficient numbers of staff to meet current, let alone future, population need. It will take time to resolve this situation, which is why the delay in committing to action to address the workforce crisis is so damaging. The sooner we start to train and recruit more staff, and act to retain those already serving the public, the sooner we will see improvements in healthcare.
Many of us have contributed to developing the workforce plan. We want it to succeed and want to be able to welcome it, if it provides the long term vision needed and clearly commitments to a funded workforce expansion. Please act now.
Yours sincerely,
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK
Shantel Irwin, Chief Executive, Arthritis Action
Sue Brown, Chief Executive, Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Henry Gregg, Director, Asthma & Lung UK/Chair of the Taskforce for Lung Health
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive, Breast Cancer Now
Andrew Langford, Chief Executive, British Association of Music Therapy
Steve Aspinall, Chief Executive, British Association of Sport Rehabilitators
Liz Stockley, Chief Executive, British Dietetic Association
Sarah Mistry, Chief Executive, British Geriatrics Society
Veronica Greenwood, Chair, British and Irish Orthoptic Society
British Medical Association
Nadra Ahmed, Chair, Care Provider Alliance
Prof. Karen Middleton, Chief Executive, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Tracy Nicholls, Chief Executive, College of Paramedics
Luke Griggs, Chief Executive, Headway
Paul Donaldson, General Secretary, HCSA - the hospital doctors union
Maurice Cheng, Chief Executive, Institute of Osteopathy
Jon Restell, Chief Executive, Managers in Partnership
Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, NHS Confederation
Georgina Carr, Chief Executive, Neurological Alliance
Juliet Tizzard, Director, Parkinson’s UK
Mark Koziol, Chairman, Pharmacists’ Defence Association
Suzanne Tyler, Director, Royal College of Midwives
Steve Ford, Chief Executive, Royal College of Occupational Therapists
Prof. Mike Osborn, President, Royal College of Pathologists
Dr Paul Chadwick, Interim Chief Executive, Royal College of Podiatry
Steve Jamieson, Chief Executive, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapy
Craig Jones, Chief Executive, Royal Osteoporosis Society
Thorrun Govind, English Pharmacy Board Chair, Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Richard Evans, Chief Executive, Society of Radiographers
Nik Hartley OBE, Chief Executive, Spinal Injuries Association
Charlotte Nicholls, Head of Policy, Stroke Association
Christina McAnea, General Secretary, UNISON
Under consideration by:
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Richmond Group