Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in his Department (a) did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period and (b) had their probationary period extended in each of the last five years.

The Department’s probation policy and guidance advises managers on the steps to take to assess a new employee’s suitability for the post and to provide support to enable them to succeed. It also advises on the steps to take where performance, attendance, or conduct are not satisfactory. This can include exiting the employee or extending their probation to provide further evidence for a final decision on their suitability.

The number of staff in the Department who did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period, and those whose probationary period was extended, in each of the last five years is set out below:

- in 2025, four staff did not retain employment and four had their probationary period extended;

- in 2024, two staff did not retain employment and two had their probationary period extended;

- in 2023, there were no staff who did not retain employment and no staff had their probationary period extended;

- in 2022, four staff did not retain employment and three had their probationary period extended;

- in 2021, one staff member did not retain employment and one had their probationary period extended.