Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2018 to Question 151034 on NHS: staff, what the main aspects of the NHS Improvement programme are referred to in that answer.

NHS Improvement, in partnership with NHS Employers, are working with National Health Service trusts across England to reduce nursing staff turnover. The immediate focus is on NHS providers, particularly mental health providers, to support delivery of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.

Targeted support is available to all NHS trusts in England alongside an extensive programme of improvement work and retention events. The overall objectives for the programme are to:

- bring down leaver rates in the NHS by 2020;

- bring an increased local focus within trusts’ focus on retention;

- provide trusts with knowledge and tools to improve retention; and

- reduce variation in retention rates across providers.