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Nick Ville, policy director of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, responded to the Government's drive to recruit NHS allied health and nursing professionals 

“Workforce is the biggest challenge facing the NHS, with 94 per cent of health leaders telling us before the General Election that it should be a key priority for the incoming Government. The workforce shortfall means that frontline staff and managers are feeling the strain to provide patients with the best possible care.

“While this national campaign is very much needed, recruitment is only part of the solution as we also need to provide better support for existing staff so that we are more successful in retaining them as part of our current workforce. The pressure on the imminent People Plan to address this is building.

“Also, the Government must not lose sight of the fact that social care services are grossly understaffed with 122,000 vacancies. Without an appropriately funded social care system, NHS services will continue to be stretched to breaking point and plans to transform how care is delivered in future will be at significant risk.”

Note to editors:

Read the results of our survey of health leaders: https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/2019/11/health-leaders-set-priorities-for-new-government-to-tackle-huge-pressures

National recruitment campaign for paramedics, radiographers and nurses begins