Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made on the recommendations in the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ report, titled ‘The Anaesthetic Workforce: UK State of the Nation Report’ published in June 2026.

This specific assessment has not been made. Officials have noted the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ report.

In relation to pay and training places, on 29 June 2026, the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee announced that their membership had voted to accept an offer from the Government to resolve their dispute on pay and jobs. The deal for resident doctors includes the introduction of up to 4,500 specialty training places over the next three years in England.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. That is why NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that the expansion of places is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

The Government greatly values consultants and specialty, associate specialists, and specialist doctors and remains committed to working with trade unions to improve the working lives of all senior doctors, including anaesthetists.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out the action we will take to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.