• Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary, warns that government failure to meet NHS constitutional standards on staffing is driving a retention crisis.
• In a speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, Mr Ashworth commits Labour to investing in staff and training, which has culminated in over 100,000 staff vacancies across the NHS.
• It comes as new research by Labour into the NHS workforce reveals that over 200,000 nurses have left the NHS since 2010/11, alongside a 55% increase in voluntary resignations from the NHS.
• New research, verified by the House of Commons Library, revealed that voluntary resignations citing poor work-life balance have increased more than any other reason.
  
  

Responding to Jonathan Ashworth’s speech on the NHS workforce at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the head of policy at NHS Providers, Amber Jabbal said:

“It is no secret that the challenges of recruiting and retaining the right level of staffing to keep health and care services running are the number one concern for NHS trusts.

It is no secret that the challenges of recruiting and retaining the right level of staffing to keep health and care services running are the number one concern for NHS trusts.

Amber Jabbal    Head of Policy and Strategic Projects

“If we are to turn the ambitions of the NHS long term plan into reality we must urgently address the growing staff shortages in health and social care.

“A long term strategy which boosts the domestic supply of NHS staff is vital for a sustainable workforce. However, we also need to see urgent immediate action to keep staff within the NHS such as ensuring staff feel valued, supported to have a good work/life balance and can access the training and development opportunities they need. We look forward to the publication of the workforce implementation plan next month which should address some of these issues.

We also need to see urgent immediate action to keep staff within the NHS such as ensuring staff feel valued, supported to have a good work/life balance and can access the training and development opportunities they need.

Amber Jabbal    Head of Policy and Strategic Projects

“Making sure we have the sufficient funding in place to boost training budgets is key, alongside trusts continued efforts to make sure the NHS is a great place to work for all staff.”