Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the revised Long-Term Workforce Plan will be published.

The Government has committed to publishing a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. No set date has been agreed for publication, as the wider work of the 10-Year Health Plan and the forthcoming Spending Review will influence the timing of the revised workforce plan later this year.

Sir Jim Mackey will lead the transition team bringing the work of NHS England and the Department together over the next two years. This work will not impact the forthcoming publication of the 10-Year Health Plan and the subsequent reconsideration of the long-term workforce needs of the National Health Service, which will follow.

The curricula for postgraduate training are set by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges for foundation training, and by individual royal colleges and faculties for specialty training. The General Medical Council approves curricula and assessment systems for each training programme.

NHS England launched an extensive engagement and listening exercise to help shape the future of postgraduate medical training in February. The review will: hear about best practice; listen to concerns, including issues around training pathways and the capacity, quality, and inclusivity of training; and explore ideas and thoughts about how postgraduate medical training could evolve for the future. An engagement exercise will run through to June this year, with findings reported in the summer.