NHS Professionals – Media Archive

Nursing Notes

5 Jan Nursing staff ‘in disbelief’ over PM statement on Omicron pressures Nursing Times 

7 Jan Military deployed in London Nursing Times

21 Dec The long-term reliance on international nurses is on the increase’ James Buchan 

January: Alan Mak introduced the Government’s NHS Reservists will ensure we adapt to today’s health challenges Conservative Home

13/1 Mandatory jabs Nurses and midwives urge policy delay (Denis Campbell, p16)

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have pleaded with the health secretary to put the brakes on mandatory COVID vaccines for NHS workers, according to The Guardian. The groups have raised concerns over a mass exodus of badly-needed staff, due to the policy. “We are calling on the government to recognise this risk and delay a move. To dismiss valued nursing staff during this crisis would be an act of self-sabotage,” said Pat Cullen, the RCN’s general secretary.

20 01 Return of NHS pension penalties ‘risks worsening staffing crisis’ N Times

20 01 Redeployment and dismissal processes outlined in mandatory jab guidance N TImes

20 01 ‘Capitalise’ on increased interest in nursing seen since Covid-19 – report N Times

21 01 Mike Ruddles’ piece on Flexible workforce in HSJ 

27 01 Global problem of nurse shortages requires a global solution’ Global estimates suggest up to 13 million more nurses will be required over the next decade – the equivalent of almost half of the world’s current 28-million-strong nursing workforce.

This 13 million includes the six million nurses that were already missing before the coronavirus pandemic.  NT

Breaking down the barriers of nursing behind closed doors - While single-bed rooms for patients offer privacy and dignity, Hayley Valentine, a former critical care nurse and a clinical consultant for Ascom, explores the challenges ahead for nursing ever larger numbers of patients in their own rooms Digital Health

02 02 22 Employers must support newly registered nurses’ 

Concerns around access to preceptorship programmes and their quality are sadly not new, but the current pressures facing the nursing workforce make them even more urgent to address. That is why Nursing Times, in partnership with Unison and the Florence Nightingale Foundation, is launching a campaign to raise awareness of the need for better support for NRNs across the UK.

08 02 NHS spent £3MILLION on expenses-paid trips to recruit foreign doctors: Staff went on 750 jaunts to locations including Philippines, Italy, Spain, UAE and Australia D Mail

14 02 Flexible working - guidance from NHSE

24 02 Hadrien Kieffer - NHSP’s director of NHSP International - Welcoming international colleagues for a stronger and more diverse NHS HSJ

1 March - H&SC Committee - Nicola McQueen witness 

Parliament TV

Call for Lords to pass amendment which will support workforce plan to be reviewed every two years:

Presented by J Cumberledge and Stevens - it’s an independent workforce plan for the future. Independent, robust and clear about numbers.  No justification for not having one. Cost? To be covered by Framework 15? But F15 won’t have actual numbers in it. 

If Treasury dictates NHS should be more responsible with the money, NHS is saying they need a workforce plan to make more efficiencies. 

Impact on continuity of care: very fluid workforce = loss of team culture and loss of continuity of care for patients. Don’t have to be full time - but being part of a team is important.

NMcQ:  76% of nursing and 80%+ vacancies filled by this group: distinctinction between bank, agency and off framework agencies.

NHSP - unique blend. 180k bank members to deploy. Significant rise in demand for flex working. 60k of that 180k don’t have substantial job in NHS - and so don’t have a voice.

VIP important to provide training and career development for those who choose flex working.

Need to change narrative about all being expensive agencies.

There are good agencies - 2-6% mark up. Are there agencies that operate on-f/w and off-f/w - yes. But NHSP wants to implement the tiering - all trusts must be able to cascade properly. Need to rid fastest finger first - longer-term view of shifts available.

Chris Hopson - we need to make NHS positions attractive enough to allow for the demand for flex working. Use tech (as per airline cabin staff)

Would like to use the apprenticeship levy to keep training up to date - 10,000 extra FTE if every bank worker did one more shift per month.

Plus - we need to keep the people who engaged with NHSP but who didn’t get the job because of lack of some part of training - engaged (via allowing access to training)

Issue about continuity of care for staff given the level of trainee rotation from trusts

2 03 22 Media coverage of Nicola McQueen at H&SC Committee:

Sun D Mail

March 7

You may have seen this – but in a report published today, it’s announced that the Government is over halfway to delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024 DHSC. Am still reading through it – but interesting to note things like 

“Retention is the most significant area of uncertainty across the programme. It is also the area of greatest complexity, with a multitude of contributory factors…”

April 5

H&SC Bill - Govt rejects Jeremy Hunt’s workforce proposals https://twitter.com/jeremy_hunt/status/1509524966315679750?s=11&t=91AjLyMEoMoqONuNKiW8_g

April 6

Make more of temporary staff: Organisations need to find new ways of emphasising how much the service values temporary workers, a recent HSJ webinar suggested HSJ

April 23

International Nurses’ Day 2022 will demand ‘real investment’ in nursing 

May 2

The government has once again rejected calls to introduce an independent workforce planning system to determine how many nurses and other health staff are truly needed in England to meet demand.

Useful sector information

DHSC Committee call for evidence inquiry: workforce, recruitment, training and retention Parliament: Deadline for submissions January 19 2022

Health Bill update: Small victories and missed opportunities HSJ (November 4)

King’s Fund - diagram of how ICSs work (October 18)

NHS workforce in numbers Nuffield Trust (September 7)

Comprehensive spending review - what’s next for health and care? An analysis from King’s Fund (October 12)

OECD overview - Health at a Glance provides a comprehensive set of indicators on population health and health system performance across OECD members and key emerging economies. These cover health status, risk factors for health, access to and quality of health care, and health resources. Analysis draws from the latest comparable official national statistics and other sources.

Alongside indicator-by-indicator analysis, an overview chapter summarises the comparative performance of countries and major trends. This edition also has a special focus on the health impact of COVID-19 in OECD countries, including deaths and illness caused by the virus, adverse effects on access and quality of care, and the growing burden of mental ill-health.

The People Plan - from The future of NHS human resources and organisational development

Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer 22 November 2021

June 2022

Where next for NHS nurses' pay? This analysis by the Health Foundation looks at the impact of high inflation and other factors affecting nurse pay, assessing the potential implications for the 2022 NHS Pay Review Body recommendations on nurses' earnings. They also consider the extent to which the current pay determination system could be improved to meet NHS nurse workforce priorities.

July 2022

Government’s nursing target could still leave NHS short of nearly 40,000 nurses by next election 19 July 2022

https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/government-s-nursing-target-could-still-leave-nhs-short-of-nearly-40000-nurses-by-next-election#:~:text=Analysis%20published%20today%20by%20the,pre%2Dpandemic%20levels%20of%20care

Whole-scale approach needed to help overseas nurses thrive Nursing Times

MPs demand end to repayment clauses in contracts of overseas health workers

Employment conditions can tie staff to roles for up to five years and impose fees of £14,000 for an early return home

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/30/mps-demand-end-to-repayment-clauses-in-contracts-of-overseas-health-workers

November 2022

  • RCN announces 15 and 20 December as strike dates
  • Nursing staff at around half of trusts voted to strike earlier this month
  • Union chief says nurses “have had enough of being taken for granted”

Rishi Sunak: Nurses' 19% pay claim obviously unaffordable BBC

NHS needs OBR-style staffing forecasts, says Pritchard - The NHS’s forthcoming workforce plan will have to be updated with regular forecasts after it has been published to ensure it stays “credible”, Amanda Pritchard said HSJ

Patricia Hewitt- former Labour health secretary asked by Jeremy Hunt to review the NHS - HSJ predicts her review will result in real changes this time:

Prediction one: this time the red tape bonfire could ignite

The review’s terms of reference are still being thrashed out between Ms Hewitt, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, but the main goal is clear: the significant reduction in micro-management of integrated care systems by NHSE and DHSC.

Prediction two: a much smaller NHS England

The most effective way to reduce micro-management is to cut the number of supposed micro-managers.

Mr Barclay has only to spot a microphone to feel an uncontrollable urge to tell anyone who is listening about the £2.8bn cost of the DHSC and its arm’s-length bodies.

NHS England is already removing 6,000 posts as it merges with NHS Digital and Health Education England. This would take its headcount down to around 15,000.

Prediction three: A more powerful CQC

The Care Quality Commission, unexpectedly perhaps, could find its power and profile significantly enhanced by the Hewitt review.

Will the Hewitt review deliver?

The Hewitt review depends strongly on the Chancellor’s patronage. Mr Barclay will be sympathetic to many of its aims, as will Amanda Pritchard. But it is not their idea, and not how they would have gone about achieving the changes they desire.

Ms Hewitt’s recommendations will also not be to everyone’s taste – and significant pushback can be expected.

November 2022

NHS needs OBR-style staffing forecasts, says Pritchard - The NHS’s forthcoming workforce plan will have to be updated with regular forecasts after it has been published to ensure it stays “credible”, Amanda Pritchard said HSJ

England’s chief nursing officer Ruth May has pledged her support for the profession as it heads into yet another difficult winter and into a period of potential strike action: Interview in Nursing Times