PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Community Diagnostic Centres and Surgical Hubs: Staff (13 January 2023)

Action continues to be taken to increase and support the existing National Health Service workforce capacity. There are over 42,000 more staff working in the NHS than a year ago, including over 10,500 nurses and almost 4,700 doctors. NHS England is ensuring that systems develop robust Community Diagnostic Centres workforce plans, which include reliable recruitment routes to deliver the required uplift in staffing. Digital diagnostic investment is anticipated to deliver an approximate 10% uplift in workforce productivity which will also lessen the burden on staffing diagnostic services. To meet the growing demand on the diagnostic services, the Department is working with NHS England on a programme of rapid international recruitment to support with immediate needs, with wider utilisation of support workers across professions.

The surgical hub programme has workforce guidance designed to assist providers and Integrated Care Systems in planning the workforce requirements for new or expanded surgical hubs. It outlines key enablers for successful workforce recruitment, retention and planning and helpful operational tools such as e-rostering and staff passports.