Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure that medical students who study in the UK have access to NHS foundation jobs at the end of their studies.

The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) facilitates the operation and continuing development of the UK Foundation Programme. The UKFPO is jointly funded and governed by NHS England and the four United Kingdom Health Departments.

The UKFPO confirmed on 1 September 2023 that all eligible applicants in the application process will be allocated a place on the UK Foundation Programme in 2024. UKFPO estimates the UK number of eligible applicants to be approximately 9000 for 2024.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which covers the workforce, education and training in England contained a commitment to ensure there is adequate growth in foundation placement capacity, as students begin to graduate from the expanded number of medical school places in England, and a commensurate increase in specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS in England in the future. We will work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

Future workforce growth in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including future foundation programme and speciality training places is a matter for each of the Devolved Administrations.