To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to determine workforce requirements in the (a) health and (b) social care sectors in the context of (i) an ageing population and (ii) trends in the level of ill health in later life.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan recognises that healthcare need is growing and changing, driven by ageing, and increasing morbidity. The plan sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take, to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. It will put the workforce on a sustainable footing for the long term.

The modelling NHS England has used in the plan is founded on data, evidence, and analysis. It looks at the projected demand for NHS staff and compares it with projected supply, taking into account anticipated changes in productivity, retention, and other factors. This leaves a gap between demand and supply. The plan then proposes how that gap should be filled. We have committed to refreshing the modelling that underpins the plan every two years, or in line with fiscal events.

On social care, as set out in our strategy for the social care workforce in our People at The Heart of Care white paper in December 2021, responsibility for delivering social care is devolved to local authorities. Local government has a key role to play in supporting recruitment and retention in their areas, using their oversight of local systems to identify workforce shortages, and develop workforce plans.

A new duty for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), to assess local authorities’ delivery of their adult social care duties, has gone live. As part of these assessments, the CQC will consider if local authorities understand their current and future workforce needs, and if councils are working in partnership with providers to develop, support, and promote a capable and effective care workforce.

Integrated care systems also have a key role to play in ensuring joined-up workforce planning. They should be working with NHS providers, local authorities, and independent care providers, to ensure effective system-wide coordination of recruitment and development.