The RCP has responded to the Health and Social Care Committee’s report following their inquiry into Workforce: Recruitment, Training, and Retention in Health and Social Care.
Commenting on the report, Sir Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), said:
“It comes as no surprise that the expert panel has rated the government’s performance on delivering workforce commitments as inadequate. The report is unequivocal that workforce shortages are having a negative impact on staff wellbeing and development and are creating risks to patient safety. It is clear that there is an urgent need for better workforce planning informed by patient demand, something the RCP has long called for. We agree with the committee that without this many of the challenges facing the NHS will remain unresolved.
“The RCP has been calling for concerted action to address the workforce crisis in health and care for several years, and today’s report further underscores the need for this. While there have been some positive developments, such as confirmation from the Department for Health and Social Care that a workforce strategy will be published by the end of this year, and that progress to regulate physician associates will get underway by the end of 2022, we still have far more to do to ensure the health and care system has enough people. We are expecting far too much of the workforce at present which is being evidenced time and again by growing vacancy rates and poor employee satisfaction.
“As the Conservative party leadership contest continues, the RCP and other medical royal colleges have urged both candidates to make health and care a priority, including by committing to planning and providing a health and care workforce that meets the needs of the population.”
