Recommendations and commitments
The recommendations and commitments in this Strategy fall into three areas that mirror the areas of focus in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan: attract and retain; train; transform.
We have considered the financial implications of this Workforce Strategy. In recognition of the economic challenges facing the sector and Government, we have tried to make recommendations as cost-neutral as possible - for example by ensuring that investment generates savings elsewhere.
The detailed costings will be subject to the development of a comprehensive implementation plan, which comes as the next phase - and we hope that this is commissioned by or in partnership with Government.
It is important to acknowledge that there are several factors which make it challenging to produce a definitive cost for all the recommendations and commitments in this Strategy, including:
- Variability in ambition: The ultimate impact of the Strategy will be contingent upon the level of ambition adopted in its implementation. A more ambitious approach will naturally necessitate a greater level of resource allocation and we advocate for that.
- Prioritisation sequence: The prioritisation of specific recommendations within the Strategy will influence the overall cost profile. Addressing high-priority initiatives first will lead to a different funding need compared to a scenario where all recommendations are pursued concurrently.
- Implementation effectiveness: The success of the Strategy hinges on the effectiveness of its implementation. Recommendations that are implemented efficiently may yield cost savings that can offset other expenditures within the Strategy.
- Central government costs are unknown: This Strategy has not been mandated or supported by central government and so these costs are unknown.