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NHS 10-year Plan: Skills reforms not fit for purpose

The proposals announced in the NHS 10-year plan simply don't go far enough to meet the desperately needed skills access demands in the NHS, according to the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo, explained to That's Health: “While we welcome the Government’s focus on reforming the NHS, what’s still missing is a robust people and resourcing strategy, promised for later in the year. 

"The planned reduction in access to overseas talent, including doctors, is disappointing and will only add to the significant resourcing burden that is impacting NHS services. 

"The time it takes to train medical professionals is extensive, so while the domestic skills market is being developed, international resources will remain critical.

“It's also disappointing to see the 10 Year Plan doesn’t include caveats to help the NHS reform hiring practices longer-term, which is urgently required. 

"APSCo has called on the Government to reconsider its aim of eradicating agency spending entirely across NHS providers and integrated care systems. In our experience, there will always be a need for flexible, agency-sourced staffing to meet the demand for niche expertise, fill skills gaps, and alleviate immediate pressures across different care settings. 

"This will be critical to resource the new community health centres as they evolve and to harness game-changing tech. We strongly urge the Government to recognise the value of a blended, flexible workforce in its people and resourcing strategy for the NHS and care systems.

“APSCo outlined in its Change NHS submission that one set of overarching rules for recruitment and onboarding practices across all NHS frameworks and care settings is needed to streamline recruitment. 

"Similarly, with its primary duty to patients in mind, the Department of Health and Social Care should use the same standardised rules for onboarding and compliance across all providers. That includes resourcing banks, direct hiring, and insourcing, to achieve one set of rules and one set of audit standards, which can be extended into primary care, social care, community pharmacy and other community services.

“APSCo does welcome the plans to improve efficiencies and reduce some of the administrative burden on the workforce through the implementation of better technology and utilisation of tools such as the innovator passports. However, the question once again comes back to skills. This requires a whole new set of competencies to implement and manage; attributes which are already in short supply across the UK and are in significant demand in almost every sector.

“We’ve written to the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, to highlight the critical importance of flexibility in the NHS workforce – and we will continue to urge the Government to take account of these recommendations. We will continue to ensure the voice of our members is being presented at every discussion as the 10-year Plan progresses.”

What do you think? Please comment below. 

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