As the National Health Service (NHS) celebrates its 75th anniversary, it stands at a critical point where it must adapt its practices to ensure a sustainable and resilient future. The government’s NHS Long Term Workforce Plan provides a roadmap to address the growing needs of the population and the changing dynamics of healthcare delivery.
This article summarises the key aspects of the 151-page plan, with a focus on the elements that are most relevant to hiring managers and recruitment strategies.
The complete document is available here for those who want to explore it in more detail: Click Here
A Foreword To Change
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan comes at a critical time, addressing the existing workforce gap and preparing for the projected increase in the population aged over 85 by 55% by 2037. It aims to ensure the NHS has the right number of people, with the right skills and support, to deliver high-quality care to patients, now and in the future.
Training Homegrown Talent: A Strategic Direction
Doubling The Number Of Medical School Training Places
The plan outlines a significant expansion in medical school training places, targeting a total of 15,000 places annually by 2031/32. This initiative focuses on areas with the most significant shortages, aiming to increase training and address geographical inequity. This means a substantial pool of homegrown talent will be available for HR managers, helping to fill roles in regions that have historically faced staffing shortages.
Increasing GP And Adult Nursing Training Places
Aiming to nurture homegrown talent, the plan proposes a 50% increase in GP training places and a 92% increase in adult nursing training places by 2031/32. This initiative opens doors for more individuals to forge a healthcare career, offering a golden opportunity for HR managers to foster a workforce deeply rooted in the local community.
Introducing Medical Degree Apprenticeships
From 2024/25, medical degree apprenticeships will be introduced, creating a pathway for 2,000 medical students to train locally by 2031/32. This initiative widens the talent pool and offers HR managers the opportunity to recruit individuals with a blend of academic knowledge and practical experience.
Expanding Dentistry Training Places
The plan also envisages a 40% expansion in dentistry training places, aiming to nurture homegrown talent in this sector with over 1,100 places by 2031/32. This expansion will allow HR managers to recruit skilled professionals to meet the growing demand for dental care services.
Retaining The Workforce: Building A Supportive Environment
Implementing The NHS People Plan
The NHS People Plan aims to foster a culture that values every member, offering flexible work arrangements and comprehensive health and wellbeing support. The aim of the plan is to reduce leavers by up to 128,000 through initiatives on wellbeing, workload, pensions, flexibility, leadership training and professional development. As HR professionals, implementing these strategies will be pivotal in creating a nurturing and supportive work environment, helping to retain staff and foster long-term careers within the NHS.
Modernising The NHS Pension Scheme
A significant aspect of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan is the modernisation of the NHS Pension Scheme, a move that is set to have a substantial impact on the retention of experienced staff within the NHS. The details of this modernisation are outlined below:
Tax Reforms in the Spring Budget 2023
In the Spring Budget of 2023, substantial reforms were introduced to the pension tax arrangements, which came into effect in April 2023. These reforms ensure that experienced clinicians are not pushed out of the workforce due to tax reasons, alleviating disincentives for taking on additional work or responsibilities. This is a significant step towards retaining skilled professionals within the NHS, as it removes financial barriers that previously discouraged experienced staff from extending their careers or taking on extra hours and responsibilities.
A Decade of Retirement Approach
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan introduces a ‘decade of retirement’ approach, which allows older staff to draw down their pension, work more flexibly, and remain in the workforce longer. This approach is facilitated by reforms to the legacy pension scheme, which will be introduced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) during 2023/24. These reforms enable staff to partially retire or return to work seamlessly and continue building their pension after retirement if they wish to do so. This approach not only benefits the NHS by retaining the skills and experience of older staff but also supports individuals in having a more sustainable work pattern in the later stages of their careers.
Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
From 2023/24, it is proposed that NHS organisations work with system partners to develop a clear Employee Value Proposition (EVP). This EVP will encompass national and local benefits, including pensions, salary sacrifice schemes, and local financial wellbeing support initiatives. The EVP aims to promote a comprehensive reward and recognition system for staff, covering various aspects of the NHS People Promise, such as employee voice, flexible working, and development opportunities.
Conclusion
To tackle the shortage of healthcare workers and reduce reliance on international recruitment, it is crucial to increase recruitment efforts within the UK. The plan is to double the number of medical school places from 7,500 to 15,000 by 2031/32, with an initial increase of one-third to 10,000 by 2028/29. This will lead to a greater number of doctors who have been trained in the UK. Nursing schools will also witness a 92% increase in places, from around 20,000 to almost 38,000 by 2031/32. By 2028/29, there will be at least 8,000 additional opportunities for nurse training. Clinical training will include 22% of apprenticeships by 2031/32, while nursing associate and nursing degree apprenticeships will be significantly expanded.
However, it is equally important to improve retention alongside training more staff. To achieve this, offering flexibility and supporting staff wellbeing and development are crucial. Apprenticeships, new roles, and local recruitment campaigns can also help broaden access and diversity of the NHS workforce. For the successful implementation of this plan, collaboration between the government, national NHS bodies, local systems, and education partners on long-term planning is necessary. If executed well, this plan can put the NHS on track to meet the increasing demand of patients and support broader NHS service ambitions over the next 15 years.
