NHS staff face a triple threat of soaring demand, staff sickness and low pay undermining healthcare staff recruitment and retention, the final report of the IPPR health and care workforce assembly, has said. Any increase in NHS staff over the last decade has been far outstripped by a soaring rise in need, the report says.
It says there are up to 10,000 ‘missing managers’ in hospitals and community settings since 2010 and more and better managers as needed as part of a 10 point plan to solve the workforce crisis.
The 10 point plan also includes creating a ‘return to health’ scheme that matches people with long-term health conditions, who would like to return to work, with suitable health and social care jobs and a ‘comply or explain’ right to flexible working to increase support for women returning to work after maternity leave.