Today NHS Providers published findings from a recent survey of the NHS in England which highlights the impact of workforce shortages. Please see the press release here, including findings from the survey.

The survey found that staff shortages across the NHS are having a “serious and detrimental impact” on services. Staff shortages also affect the efforts made to reduce the backlogs in health and care to improve access to NHS services. Most NHS trust leaders (89%) do not think the NHS has robust plans in place to tackle workforce shortages.

The survey also found that most trust leaders (88%) want the government to be required by law to publish regular, independent assessments of how many health and social care staff are needed to keep pace with projected demand over the next five, ten and 20 years. The House of Lords passed an amendment to the Health and Care Bill to enable this to take place. This is supported by NHS Providers, parliamentarians, and over 100 other health and care representative organisations, including Action Kidney Cancer who signed the bill. This amendment returns to the House of Commons this week and we are urging MPs to support it.