Today we mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the NHS, and the Council of Deans of Health reiterates its support for NHS England’s Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP). It provides a pathway to ensuring the sustainability and success of an institution we cherish but know must adapt.
The Council has been involved throughout the LTWP’s development, meeting with NHS England, and across government, including the health secretary and Prime Minister, to ensure our members’ voices were heard. Being a critical friend isn’t always easy, for either side, but the plan is better for it and we are supportive of its aims.
At every stage, universities are crucial to the plan’s delivery. Our members’ role in educating nursing, midwifery and the allied health professionals is recognised with very ambitious expansions in provision.
These include almost doubling adult nursing training places – to reach nearly 38,000 by 2031-32 – as part of an overall aim to increase the number of nursing and midwifery training places to around 58,000 by 2031-32, including continuation of funding for shortened midwifery courses for registered nurses.
