Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to recruit and train more doctors.

On 4 October 2016 my Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State announced that the number of medical training places available to students each year will be expanded to ensure the National Health Service has enough doctors to continue to provide safe, compassionate care in the future. From September 2018, the Government will fund up to 1,500 additional student places through medical schools each year.

The ultimate responsibility for recruitment rests with NHS organisations as they are best placed to ensure they have the right staff, in the right place, at the right time to provide safe and effective care for their patients.