NHS workforce plan: what does it mean for nursing? (RCN, July 2023)

Summary

The UK government’s long-awaited NHS workforce plan for England outlines a vision to increase the number of nursing staff in England over the next 15 years, with a promise of 170,000 more nurses by 2036/37. This article from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) outlines how the detail of the plan will affect nurses. It argues that the plan fails to acknowledge the financial investment needed if its objectives are to be fulfilled, and expresses the RCN's concern that it does not address financial support for student nurses.

Content

Key proposals affecting nursing staff

• More training places will be offered through degree apprenticeships so staff can “earn while they learn”. 
• Nursing students could take up jobs as soon as they graduate, rather than waiting until September. 
• The plan asks the NMC to consider greater use of simulated learning in order to reduce clinical placement hours for nursing degree students.  
• Investment in occupational health and wellbeing services for staff. 
• Flexible working options will be considered for every job.  
• An intention to reduce reliance on international recruitment from nearly a quarter of staff to about 10% of the workforce. 
• Reform the NHS pension from this year to make it easier to partially retire or return to work. 
• A potential ban on substantive staff working agency shifts.