Over 100 organisations are backing an amendment to the Health and Care Bill which looks to improve workforce planning.
The proposal comes from the original amendments suggested by former Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt, which failed to go through the House of Commons.
The advocated change would require the government to publish independently verified assessments every other yea on current and future workforce numbers needed for health and social care services.
The new amendment, amendment 80, was passed by 171 votes to 119 but was no voted for by parliamentary under-secretary for health and social care. Lord Syed Salah Kamall.
Baroness Julia Cumberlege put forward the amendment today which requires the health and social care secretary to voice a report every two years to parliament which describes the system in place for assessing and meeting the needs of the workforce in health and social care in England.
Baroness Cumberlege said: “Workforce is the single greatest problem facing the NHS.
“Without improve planning, we will not tackle the growing backlog, and not only in procedures, but also in appointments within the NHS.
“We will not know whether we have the right people in the right place at the right time.
“We will not provide a sustainable work environment for the dedicated staff who are currently working so hard within our services.
“And we will not meet the public's expectations when they turn to the NHS for care and support.”
Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Providers said: “The House of Lords took decisive action today to help put the NHS' workforce on sustainable footing.
“By backing Baroness Cumberlege’s cross-party amendment, we are one step closer to creating the robust system for long-term workforce planning that our health system desperately needs.”
“What we need to see is the government now finding a way to work with those of us who have been supporting the amendment to find a suitable, agreed, way forward”.
You can read more about the amendment here.
