Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what engagement his Department has had with (a) universities and (b) higher education providers in developing the new NHS workforce plan.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

We have engaged with a range of partners on shaping the upcoming workforce plan, including universities and higher education providers.

We welcome the fact that so many valued stakeholders are keen to engage in the plan’s development. On 26 September 2025, we launched a formal call for evidence, which provides stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. This closed on 7 November 2025.

The Department of Health and Social Care engages closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters, including the upcoming workforce plan.