NHS Confederation responds to the latest NHS workforce statistics (April 2023)

Responding to the latest statistics on the NHS workforce in England, Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said:

"Whilst these numbers show a drop in staff leaving the NHS, healthcare leaders are concerned that chronic workforce shortages are seriously undermining efforts to recover from the brutal winter and make significant strides into bringing down waiting lists for elective care.

"Staff are exhausted and burnt out with a high amount staff leaving the NHS due to work life balance, this is especially worrying at a time when every staff member is so important to the service’s recovery. Now with the looming 96 hour junior doctor strikes, NHS leaders will be worried about their staff’s morale this month as well as the remaining impact the industrial action will have on healthcare workers and patients.

“With 124,000 vacant posts, including over 40,000 vacancies in nursing, NHS leaders are asking the government to urgently set out the long overdue, nationally fully funded workforce plan to fill these gaps and make sure the health service can continue to care for and meet the needs of its patients as safely and quickly as possible.”