Government asked to make statement on Interim NHS People Plan
5 June 2019 (updated on 5 June 2019)
The Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Jonathan Ashworth, asked the Government to make a statement on the Interim NHS People Plan.
Following the publication in January 2019 of its Long Term Plan, which set out its 10-year vision for healthcare in the UK, the NHS has published the Interim NHS People Plan.
This document sets out the NHS "vision" for how its personnel will be enabled to deliver plan, setting out five main areas in which it will restructure and saying;
"We need different people in different professions working in different ways. We also need to address the cultural changes that are necessary to build a workforce that befits a world-class 21st century healthcare system. We need to promote positive cultures, build a pipeline of compassionate and engaging leaders and make the NHS an agile, inclusive and modern employer."
Transcripts of proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber are available in Hansard online three hours after they happen.
Responding to the urgent question for the Government, Health Minister Stephen Hammond said,
"The Plan is a first - but critically important - step in ensuring the NHS has the people, the leadership and the culture it needs to deliver the long-term NHS Plan."
Following up on the statement, Jon Ashworth asked;
"Our NHS is struggling with vacancies of 100,000. Our NHS staff are the very best in the world […] but they are working under immense pressure because of these chronic shortages. Shortages put patient care at risk and it means standards of care are falling."
Image: PA
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