Wes Streeting (Image: Getty)
Thousands more GPs could be trained to tackle the staffing crisis plaguing the , the health secretary has signalled.
has officials to make changes the workforce plan, and pledged build a “transformed health service”, reports.
Described as a “refresh”, the move would prioritise services closer patients’ homes, including like GPs, as per the outlet.
It comes after former health minister and independent peer Lord Darzi published his rapid review of NHS in September, in which he described the health service as being in “serious trouble”.
Among his 28 findings were that “it has taken more than a decade for the NHS to fall into disrepair”.
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The plans are expected to see more medical students encouraged to train as GPs. (Image: Getty)
His report also found that, “GPs are seeing more patients than ever before, but with the number of fully qualified GPs relative to the population falling, waiting times are rising and patient satisfaction is at its lowest ever level.”
has now said the review “diagnosed the dire state” of the health service, acknowledging in a government press release that “too many people end up in hospital because there aren’t the resources in the community to reach patients earlier”.
“Our 10-year health plan will deliver three big shifts in the focus of healthcare from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention,” he vowed.
“We will refresh the workforce plan to fit the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, so the NHS has the staff it needs to treat patients on time again.”
The workforce plan was drawn up by officials 2023, in the hopes of helping to boost staff numbers by 2036-37.
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The refresh will push for the plan to training more GPs, community nurses and health visitors to ensure services nearest to patients’ homes are supported.
10-year programme of reform for the health service has been promised in response. It’s expected to be released in the spring. Officials will then rewrite the workforce plan so that the areas being expanded have sufficient staff.
The changes are reportedly likely to include the expansion of hospital doctors being scaled back, with more medical students encouraged to train as GPs.
Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, said: “The NHS is nothing without our incredible staff and having a sustainable workforce is a key building block for an NHS fit for the future – that’s why we committed to update the plan regularly so that it reflects the changing and growing needs of patients.
“While the NHS is delivering more care to patients in the community, with the expansion of virtual wards, community diagnostic centres and neighbourhood hubs, part of our longer-term goal is delivering even more care out of hospitals, and we’ll work closely with the government to refresh the workforce plan, alongside the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.”