Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take as part of the interim NHS People’s Plan to increase the number of dietetic posts with the (a) primary care and (b) the NHS.

The NHS Long Term Plan set out the next step in our mission to make the National Health Service a world class employer and deliver the workforce the NHS needs. To deliver on these commitments the NHS published a new interim People Plan on 3 June. The interim Plan sets out a shared vision and plan of action to put NHS people at the heart of NHS policy and delivery.

The interim People Plan sets out the action we will take now and over the long term to meet the challenges of supply, reform, culture and leadership. The development of the dietetic workforce was central to the Allied Health Profession programme for the plan and was developed by engaging widely with staff, patients, employers, professional organisations, regulatory bodies, voluntary sector, academia and other experts.

A final people plan will be published later this year, when there is further clarity on education and training budgets.