Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of new workers required to replace workers from other EU countries who may leave the health and social care sector following the UK's withdrawal from the EU; and what measures they are putting in place to ensure that sufficient numbers are recruited and trained.

The Department’s priority is to ensure that the 167,000 European Union staff currently working in the health and social care sectors are not only able to stay, but feel welcomed and encouraged to stay in the United Kingdom.

As part of this work, the public testing phase of the EU Settlement Scheme opened on 21 January 2019. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 January 2019, from 30 March 2019 onwards, EU nationals will not have to pay a charge to make an application. Any application made before that date, including those that have already been made, will be reimbursed.

We have also introduced a range of measures to support increased recruitment and retention across the health and care system, including national recruitment campaigns that illustrate the diverse and fulfilling career opportunities available in the National Health Service and social care.