The NHS employs over 1.3 million staff, working in around 300 different types of jobs for more than 1000 employers. Effective workforce planning is key to ensuring that the service has enough staff, with the right skills and values to be able to provide excellent patient-centred care, now and in the future.
Health Education England (HEE) is responsible for providing system-wide leadership and oversight of workforce planning, education and training for the health service.
NHS service providers are working with HEE and education providers - through their Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs) - to ensure the right staff are entering the workforce at the right time, and in the right numbers. To this end, employers are required to produce annual service plans, and future workforce forecasts, which in turn, inform local and national plans. Find out more about the responsibilities of HEE, LETBs and education and service providers on the Health Education England website.
The pages below contain advice and guidance to help you think about the shape and make up of your workforce, as multidisciplinary and partnership working becomes increasingly necessary for delivering patient centred services. The information may refer to specific parts of the workforce, but the principles will be applicable across the NHS. Use the links on the right to access further information and tools to help you with your workforce planning.