Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve NHS staff retention rates.

National Health Service employers are expected to have local retention plans in place, informed by guidance and the 2020 NHS People Plan. NHS England’s national retention programme seeks to understand why staff leave and provide targeted interventions to support staff to stay.

Line managers are supported with information on induction, reward and recognition, menopause support and resources to support colleagues in late and early career. In July 2022, NHS England asked each NHS organisation to prioritise the delivery of five actions on nursing and midwifery retention, which includes enhanced support for those joining the NHS, menopause support and improved advice and guidance for those later in their career with flexible working and pensions.

The Department has also commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan. The plan will consider the number of staff and the roles required and will set out the actions and reforms needed to improve workforce supply and retention.