First service-wide long term NHS workforce strategy

Professor Ian Cumming, Chief Executive, Health Education England, said:

Health Education England (HEE) continues to support the service, helping provide the workforce it needs both now and in the future. We are introducing new professions and new routes into the NHS. Our Nursing Associate programme already has 2,000 people in training, last year we recruited a record number of GP trainees and our support for the emergency medicine workforce means this is now the fastest growing specialty in the country, providing a welcome boost for accident and emergency departments and the patients they serve.

We also continue to invest heavily in leadership, with programmes that directly support chief executives, along with other groups like community pharmacists. We have also secured 3,596 nurses on our return to practice programmes.

We recognise the need for a coherent and cohesive workforce strategy, which is why we are working on the first whole system long term workforce strategy for 20 years, along with partner ALBs NHS England, Public Health England and NHS Improvement.

We will lead work on a strategy, that builds on our 15 year Framework, to be published in draft form in December for engagement and, working with the widest possible range of partners and stakeholders, we will publish, on behalf of the NHS, a final strategy in summer 2018.