Following Labour's announcement that it would commit £330m to solving the NHS 'staff retention crisis', RCP president Professor Andrew Goddard said the proposal could turn the tide on the current retention challenges.
Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary, Jonathan Ashworth MP, today warned that Government failure to meet NHS constitutional standards on staffing is driving a retention crisis, and committed Labour to investing in staff and training to help solve the problem. The news comes after new research by Labour revealed that over 200,000 nurses have left the NHS since 2010/11, alongside a 55% increase in voluntary resignations from the NHS.
Responding to the news RCP president Professor Andrew Goddard said:
The Labour Party today outlines a welcome set of proposals which could begin to turn the tide on the current retention challenges. Clinicians on the ground know that we urgently need more of us and that’s why it’s particularly good to see the commitment to expand the Medical Training Initiative and easing of current barriers to international recruitment.
The focus on supporting the existing workforce through the development of a staff wellbeing strategy and increased training opportunities can only be steps in the right direction.