Expansion of NHS retention programme will support co-ordinated approach to tackling workforce shortages
10 July 2019
- NHS England and NHS Improvement have announced a rollout of the National Retention Programme as part of the NHS people plan.
- The scheme, which has helped keep more than 1,100 nurses, midwives and other clinicians in the NHS, will be rolled out to cover staff working in general practice as well as hospitals.
- A ‘transfer window’ lets staff move within the NHS between areas while developing new skills and incentives are used to help keep new joiners such as discount gym memberships.
Responding to the rollout of the National Retention Programme by NHS England and NHS Improvement, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:
“A viable solution to the 100,000+ vacancies across the NHS involves both recruitment and ensuring that hard-working and skilled staff want to stay within the NHS.
A viable solution to the 100,000+ vacancies across the NHS involves both recruitment and ensuring that hard-working and skilled staff want to stay within the NHS.
Deputy Chief Executive
“Trusts have welcomed the support of the National Retention Programme so far. It is welcome that more than 1,000 staff members have since chosen to stay within the NHS. We are pleased that the programme will support a coordinated approach to the delivery of the long term plan and that it will be rolled out further to include GPs.
“As set out in the interim NHS people plan, we need to continue to see more action to ensure all staff across health and care feel valued, supported to have a good work/life balance and access to the training and development opportunities they need.
As set out in the interim NHS people plan, we need to continue to see more action to ensure all staff across health and care feel valued, supported to have a good work/life balance and access to the training and development opportunities they need.
Deputy Chief Executive
“But this needs to be supported by urgent action in other areas, including the pensions issue, which is forcing senior clinicians to reduce their working hours and affecting patient care. We also need to see more investment in NHS education and training budgets as part of the forthcoming spending review. Without this, these approaches will only have a limited impact.”