Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the retention of (1) trauma, and (2) orthopaedic, surgeons.

The National Health Service People Plan and People Promise have set out a comprehensive range of actions to improve staff retention. They provide a strong focus on creating a more modern, compassionate and inclusive NHS culture by strengthening health and wellbeing, equality and diversity, culture and leadership and flexible working.

The NHS, via its 2023/24 priorities and operational planning guidance, has asked systems to refresh their 2022/23 whole system workforce plans to improve staff retention through a systematic focus on all elements of the NHS People Promise. Staff wellbeing should be strategically aligned with elective recovery plans, including workforce demand and capacity planning.

In addition, the NHS Retention Programme continuously seeks to understand why staff leave the NHS, resulting in targeted interventions to support staff to stay whilst keeping them well. A staff retention guide has been updated and includes information on supporting staff in their late and early career with specific focus on induction, reward and recognition and menopause support.

These initiatives apply across staff groups including trauma and orthopaedic surgeons.