Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to keep healthcare workers in the public sector, and in particular what consideration they have given to increasing their pay.

Over 1.5 million hard-working people make up the National Health Service workforce, and supporting them is at the core of delivering on our mission to build an NHS fit for the future. That is why the Government accepted all the 2024/25 pay review bodies’ recommendations for NHS staff in England.

Furthermore, we have already remitted the pay review bodies and submitted written evidence for 2025/26. This is the earliest written evidence that has been published for many years, meaning the pay setting process is on track this year. This paves the way for pay settlements to be agreed earlier.

NHS England continues to lead on a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career choice for new recruits.