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National Centre for Rural Health and Care - NHS Long Term Workforce Plan Consultation

Introduction

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan 2023 is crucial to the long term sustainability of the institution. It has not been rural proofed and it makes very few references to rural issues. We are preparing a response and would welcome your views through completion of this survey. Please let us have your response by 4 August 2023.

NCRHC will maintain your personal details in accordance with GDPR. You will only be contacted in reference to your response if you have indicated that you wish us to do so.
1.Address(Required.)
2.Are you happy for us to contact you about your response?
3.How feasible is it to increase the number of medical school training places by 15,000 per year by 2031/2 ?
4.If progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
5.What is the biggest issue in achieving this?
6.How achievable is the commitment to support medical schools to move from 5/6 year degree programmes to four year programmes that meet the same established standards set by the GMC and pilot a medical internship programme which will shorten undergraduate training time, to bring people into the workforce more efficiently so that in future students undertaking shorter medical degrees make up a substantial proportion of the overall number of medical students?
7.If progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
8.What is the biggest issue in achieving this?
9.How credible is it to increase the number of GP training places by 6,000 by 2031/2 and if progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
10.If progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
11.What is the biggest issue in achieving this?
12.How credible is it to increase the number of nurse training places by 92% by 2031/2 ?
13.If progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
14.What is the biggest issue in achieving this?
15.How credible is it to grow the number and proportion of NHS staff working in mental health, primary and community care by 73% by 2036/37 'to enable delivery of more preventative and proactive care?
16.If progress is made in this context how should we ensure it has the maximum impact for rural residents?
17.What is the biggest issue in achieving this?
18.Does the proposed apprenticeship emphasis on providing increases to staffing across the system have any implications from a rural perspective?
19.What are the main opportunities for rural areas in the proposed apprenticeship emphasis on providing increases to staffing?
20.What are the opportunities and risks in enabling more flexible working in rural areas?
21.What benefits do adjustments to pensions and the new NHS Emeritus Doctor Scheme offer to rural settings?
22.What are the implications of the proposed tie-in period for the provision of dental services in rural settings?
23.In what ways might the commitment to the roles and skills below benefit the delivery of health and care services in rural areas?
24.How might the proposals to increase the exposure of doctors to General Practice work to the benefit of rural areas?
25.How might the emphasis on a less regulated approach to technological innovation enhance the development of the skills, knowledge and experience of nursing and medical students in rural settings?
26.Considering the rural/coastal system(s) within which you work, do you consider the Plan will help address your clinical capacity, recruitment & retention challenges and future skills requirements?
27.What else if anything will be needed to sustainably secure a high quality workforce in your local area?
28.In view of the current challenges facing the NHS from a workforce perspective in the short term can you offer any insights or solutions to the challenges we face?
29.If you agree that the rural context needs a special policy and educational approach, how do you suggest that we should approach this?
30.Do you have any additional comments or insight you would like to offer with regard to the the NHS England Workforce Plan to inform the response from the National Centre?