Some of the latest data indicates that there are record numbers of doctors and nurses working across England for the NHS, contributing to expediting treatment pathways and helping clear the backlog to ease pressure on the health sector as it continues to drive through the busiest winter months.
The data shows that there are more than 1.25 million full-time equivalent staff working in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England, which is over 42,000 more people than the same time last year.
Compared to October 2021, the data also shows that last October saw nearly 4,700 more doctors and over 10,500 more nurses were working in the NHS – when looking at the numbers compared to 2010, there are now over 35,300 more doctors and around 47,100 more nurses working for the health service.
Health Minister, Will Quince, said the Government is “well on track” to deliver its commitment of recruiting 50,000 more nurses by 2024, with over 36,000 more nurses bolstering NHS ranks in October 2022 compared to the September of 2019.
As part of the Autumn Statement, the Government pledged to publish an extensive workforce strategy in 2023 that will set out how the NHS can improve recruitment and retention, which will be accompanied by independently verified estimates for the numbers of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals that will be needed in five, ten, and 15 years’ time.
Will Quince said: “Growing the workforce is one of my immediate priorities and we are making significant progress in training and recruiting a record number of staff – with over 42,000 more people working in the NHS compared to a year ago – and we are well on track to deliver on our commitment to recruit 50,000 more nurses.
“Thanks to these dedicated staff we’re building a stronger, healthier NHS for the long-term and we will publish a workforce plan this year to recruit and retain more staff and make the NHS the best place to work.”
To read the latest workforce data, click here.
