Sixty seconds on . . . the NHS workforce plan

Has it finally arrived?Alas, no. The 15 year strategy, unofficial titled “The Long Awaited NHS Workforce Plan,” was expected in 2022 but is yet to appear. Instead, it has gradually been drip fed to the press in recent months, with more leaks than a Welsh allotment. It is rumoured that the agreed plan could finally be published around 5 July in a not at all cynical tie-in with the NHS’s 75th anniversary.What’s holding things up?Political wrangling over funding commitments seems to be the main barrier. Fully funding the NHS developed plan would require the government to commit several billions over 15 years, but the Times has reported that the Treasury has been playing hardball and has agreed only to an initial £1bn to fund some spending commitments over the next five years.1But doesn’t the chancellor back long term work planning?It’s complicated. Jeremy Hunt, current chancellor and former health secretary, has…
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