Responding to the publication of the NHS workforce plan, London Higher CEO Dr Diana Beech says:
“The new NHS workforce plan recognises the vital role that our universities play in training the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals that our country needs.
At London Higher, our London Medicine division and London Healthcare Education Group represent England’s largest concentration of world-leading medical schools and higher education institutions providing nursing, midwifery and allied health sciences courses. To meet the UK’s future medical and healthcare needs, it is therefore essential that London and its higher education sector remain a key part of the plan and that the proposed increase in study places is met with the expansion of hospital and other NHS placements that students require.
Increasing the number of highly-trained healthcare professionals ultimately rests on the Government supporting those universities in London which are already at the forefront of innovating healthcare education through simulation and the integration of digital technologies, while also facilitating others to add to the region’s capacity through the funding of places at new medical schools, such as that at Brunel University London. Ensuring this talent remains in the NHS is nevertheless out of universities’ hands, so it essential that Government work with NHS partners to find ways to retain and reward these talented staff throughout their careers and consider mechanisms to incentivise them to stay including reducing or abolishing interest rates on loan repayments following lengthy service.”
