Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many nursing associates were employed by the NHS in England in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of nursing associates employed by the NHS in England in the last 10 years.

Data on the workforce employed in NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England, including information on the number of nursing associates, is published at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

As we said in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan as well as a new long term professional strategy for nursing and midwifery, and further details on both will be set out to the House in due course.