More doctors and nurses

The latest figures show that the numbers of doctors and nurses have reached record highs in the NHS in England. This is welcome news as we fight to get more staff on the frontline to deliver world-class care for patients.

During the election, there was a lot of debate about the number of staff the NHS needed, including a promise by the Conservatives to increase the number of nurses by 50,000 by the end of the new Parliament (30,000 by new recruitment and 20,000 through retention, by making the job more attractive so fewer nurses leave). These latest figures represent positive steps towards achieving that.   The latest figures show the progress being made towards that goal – in March there were 6,000 more doctors and 12,000 more nurses compared to last year, and that is NOT including former healthcare professionals who have selflessly volunteered to return to the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.   We’ve seen the best of the NHS over recent months, and we must continue to do everything we can to attract and retain brilliant NHS staff over the years to come. This will be vital for areas like Cumbria