Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to engage frontline staff in shaping the implementation and delivery of the Workforce Strategy; and what further work is planned to examine (a) dermatology and (b) other specific specialities as part of that strategy.

The National Health Service published its interim People Plan on 3 June. It sets out a plan of action to meet the long-term challenges of supply, reform, culture and leadership, and puts NHS people at the heart of NHS policy and delivery.

In developing this plan, the NHS has engaged widely with staff, patients, employers, professional organisations, regulatory bodies, voluntary sector, academia and other experts.

In advance of publishing the final People Plan, the NHS will establish a national programme board to address geographical and specialty shortages in medicine. We expect the final People Plan to be published soon after the Spending Review.