Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of additional (a) nurses and (b) doctors required to deliver seven-day working in the NHS.

It will be for local providers and their Local Education and Training Boards to develop workforce plans for delivering seven day services in hospitals which will make the best use of staff skills and expertise. Current levels of service provision at weekends currently vary between hospitals. There may be additional staff needed, including doctors, and the Department is working with NHS England and Health Education England to make sure we have the workforce we need, including looking at new working patterns and roles such as physician associates.