Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that newly qualified physiotherapists are able to access Band 5 employment opportunities within the NHS, in the context of recruitment freezes and recent trends in the level of advertised posts across England.

Decisions on the recruitment and employment of newly qualified physiotherapists are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are working closely with NHS England, employers, and educators to improve transition into the workforce.