Delivering the Neighbourhood Health Service: Workforce

Status / emerging findings

• NHS England lacks comprehensive workforce data across professions, with pharmacists working across three unmonitored sectors and GPs reporting poor visibility of geographical shortages despite repeated requests
• Previous workforce plan grew GP numbers by only 4% despite a known 5,000-GP deficit; nursing faces a 43% reduction in district nurses since 2009 against predicted 34% increase in need by 2040
• Training pipelines undershooting across professions: GP training behind by 1,000 posts (3,500 vs 4,500 projected), pre-registration nursing numbers falling, pharmacy fouandations incomplete in summary

Why it matters

The government's entire community care shift depends on having enough trained staff in the right places—this inquiry will determine whether the plan is realistic or risks patient care by underpowering neighbourhood services.

Tone arc

Opened procedural; first evidence session shifted sharply critical, with witnesses directly challenging the credibility of NHS workforce projections and flagging systemic data gaps.

Key witnesses

Royal College of GPs (chair), Queen's Institute of Community Nursing (CEO), Royal Pharmaceutical Society (director for England), Association of UK Dietitians, NHS England