The Conservative government has promised it will finally produce a highly demanded and long-awaited long-term workforce plan for the NHS next year.
The move has been resisted by Conservatives despite being demanded by healthcare practitioners, trade bodies and lobby groups as pressures have mounted in the health service.
However, the government has now confirmed it will undertake the review.
In the Autumn Statement, HM Treasury said: “The government is publishing a comprehensive NHS workforce plan, including independently verified workforce forecasts, next year.
“This will include measures to make the best use of training to get doctors, nurses and allied health professionals into the workforce, increase workforce productivity and retention.”
Delivering the statement in Parliament chancellor and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt acknowledged the biggest issues facing the NHS were workforce shortages and pressures in the social care sector.
He noted that as the former chairman of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, he also put forward the case for a long-term workforce plan.
“I have listened carefully to his proposals and believe they have merit,” Hunt said.
“So, the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS will publish an independently-verified plan for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals we will need in five, 10 and 15 years’ time, taking full account of the need for better retention and productivity improvements.”
The King’s Fund chief executive Richard Murray said: “We warmly welcome the chancellor’s commitment to a workforce plan with independently verified projections for staff numbers over the next 15 years which means that health and care services can plan to train, recruit and retain the staff they need in future.
“We hope the necessary resources will also be put in place to meet these needs.”
The chancellor also used his Autumn statement to announce an additional £3.3bn for the NHS over the next two years.
