One of the most important issues we face nationally is ensuring that our NHS works for everyone, both the people it is there to serve, and those who work for it, to deliver these vital services every day.
With the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske such a major part of not just our constituency but as a service for Cornwall, as well as the many other crucial NHS services delivered across Truro and Falmouth, this is an area I am doing a lot of work in.
We recently saw the confirmation by the Government of funding for the new women and children’s hospital at the Treliske site, and the Government continues to invest record levels of funding into the NHS, both in Cornwall and nationally.
Alongside that, we also need to make sure the NHS has the people it needs and they get the support they need, to be as good as it can be for now and for the future.
Last week we saw the release of the 15 year long term workforce plan, developed by the NHS and backed by the Government.
The Government has already invested significantly in education and training – NHS spending this year is at a record high, around 16% higher in real terms than in 2019/20.
There are more staff working in the NHS than at any point in its history, including a record number of doctors and nurses. Overall, the NHS in England employs around 1.6 million people, one of the world’s largest employers and the largest in the UK.
However, Covid has imposed significant burdens on the NHS, and NHS staff are working hard to recover services and cut waiting lists.
Since the NHS was founded, it has struggled with staffing shortages and a lack of long-term workforce planning - this is a challenged faced by healthcare systems across the world.
Pressures on the workforce will grow if we don’t solve the workforce shortage. Over the next 15 years, the number of people aged over 85 will grow by 55%. The NHS estimate that in this time, without action, the workforce gap could grow to up to 360,000
Patient needs are also changing, becoming ever more complex as people are living longer, and living with multiple long-term conditions, like diabetes, asthma and mental health issues
In a nutshell the plan announced last week commits to:
Train more staff:
We will fund the largest ever expansion in domestic education and training places, significantly increasing the number of training places across the NHS workforce. By 2031 we will;
Double the number of medical school training places, with more places in areas of the country with the greatest shortages.
Increase the number of GP training places by 50%.
Almost double the number of adult nurse training places, with 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year.
Expand dental training places by 40%.
Retain staff:
A renewed focus on retention should mean that up to 130,000 staff stay working in NHS settings longer. We will take action to improve culture, leadership and wellbeing of NHS staff, including:
Modernising the NHS pension scheme through new retirement flexibilities to help retain our most experienced staff, whilst making it easier and attractive for retired staff to return.
Support for continuing professional development;
Occupational health services for NHS staff; and
Additional childcare – as announced at the Spring Budget
Reform the way staff work:
The Plan sets out actions to modernise how people work and train:
Expanding the training of new roles, such as nursing associates, physician associates and anaesthesia associates, which will support and free up other clinical colleagues.
Growing the number of staff in advanced, and enhanced clinical and consultant practice roles.
Increasing the number of degree-level apprenticeship routes to enter the nursing, medical and other professions.
Streamlining training to get professionals from the classroom to the clinic more quickly.
Harnessing the use of new technologies including artificial intelligence and remote monitoring to free up clinical time.
There is always more to do, but this plan demonstrates a real and significant commitment from the NHS, supported by the Government to providing the real and long-term reform to its workforce, both for now and the future, that we need.
As always, I am fully focused on the job at hand and if there is ever anything at all I can do to help, then please do not hesitate to contact me. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698.
My regular constituency advice surgeries are held in a covid-safe
environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me
about any matters that I can be of assistance with.
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