As AOLL celebrates it’s own 10th anniversary of supporting thousands of students gain entry to university and go on to work in the NHS. We’ve taken a look at the update on the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan as the NHS moves forwards in its 75th year.

Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, said:

"Nursing and midwifery professionals are the cornerstone of the NHS. Recent personal experience has shown me yet again what a profound impact they make on people’s lives every day.

“Whether working in the NHS or in social care, nurses, midwives and nursing associates are an inspiration. So, as we celebrate this trio of 75th anniversaries for the NHS, social care and Windrush, let us all take the opportunity to recognise the amazing work these professionals do.”

The Long Term Workforce Plan, published by the NHS and supported by the Government, calls for the training of a record number of physicians, nurses, dentists, and other healthcare professionals in England.

The NHS plan, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve patient care and staffing, focuses on maintaining existing talent and making the greatest use of new technology in addition to the largest recruitment push in the history of the health service to address the gap.

24,000 more nurse and midwife student places a year - close to double the number now

The Long-Term Workforce Plan outlines a path to:

• Almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, with 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031
• Double the number of medical school training places to 15,000 by 2031, with more places in areas with the greatest shortages

When combined with retention strategies, the NHS Plan may result in at least 60,000 more doctors, 170,000 more nurses, and 71,000 more allied health professionals working for the health system by 2036/37.

With an immediate increase in training numbers, this proposal will jump-start efforts to solve current shortages. Government funding will result in half a million trainees starting their clinical training by 2028, with that number expected to rise by over 60% by 2031.

Across the next five years the number of medical positions rise by almost a third, the number of nursing degrees rise by more than a third, and the number of GP training positions rise by a quarter.

Increased number of university places

More degree apprenticeship training positions will be made available to staff so they can "earn while they learn" and earn a full degree while ensuring they meet the high clinical standards required by the relevant professional regulators, including the GMC and NMC. This will allow the NHS to access the broadest pool of talent.

There will be better opportunities for career development, improved flexible working options, alongside government reforms to a pension scheme.

In summary, the NHS will receive £2.4 BILLION in extra funding to pay for the planned increase in health professionals. This will include the training of many more: dentist nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and other Allied Health Professionals.

Did you know that as an Allied Health student you can receive up to £8,000 a year in funding that doesn’t need to be paid back - it is there to support you as you study. Read more about it HERE.

NHS England will ensure that continuous professional development opportunities will be accessible to all. Instead of being in the same job you will have the chance to build and develop your skills within the NHS Learning Hub.

In order to provide pre-registration students with the high-quality learning experience they require to get ready to work in the NHS, a reduction in placement hours from 2,300 to 1,800 over the course of a nursing degree would relieve pressure on our learners while also greatly expanding placement capacity across the NHS.

Your pension will not be taxed any higher if you choose to step back in to work to earn more money once you have retired - plans to improve flexible opportunities for prospective retirees and deliver the actions needed to modernise the NHS Pension Scheme, building on changes announced by the government in the Spring Budget 2023 to pension tax arrangements, which came into effect in April 2023.

 For further information about Allied Health Subjects, please click HERE