Mark Menzies, Member of Parliament for Fylde, has thanked NHS staff for their service over its 75-year history and backed the Government’s new 15-year plan to increase NHS staff numbers.
The plan’s key headlines will see the number of undergraduate medical school training places doubled to 15,000 by 2031, including a 50% uplift in GP training numbers and 40% in dentistry. Nursing and midwifery are also set to benefit from an additional 24,000 training places per year.
The moves are expected to target additional resources into localities and specialisms in the greatest need, while reducing reliance on recruiting medical professionals from abroad. Marking the NHS’ 75th anniversary, Mr Menzies gave his support to the announcement saying “We cannot pretend that the pandemic and pressures on the public finances are not posing enormous challenges for the NHS but overcoming these remains a priority for the Government. With £2.4 billion investment to overcome these the current Government is backing our fantastic NHS and its staff all the way”.
“I want to see more of the very best and brightest people pursuing a career in medicine. I have seen first-hand the fantastic service local NHS staff provide for our community and it is brilliant that more people will now have that opportunity.”
“We are witnessing a period of real investment in local NHS services, with funding ringfenced for a new hospital in Preston, and this announcement sees similar investment in the workforce who will treat Fylde residents there as well as at places like Blackpool Victoria and Clifton Hospitals.”
Unveiling the plan using the slogan “Train. Retain. Reform”, the Prime Minister also vowed to build on recent changes to NHS pensions, with wider retention measures aimed at keeping 130,000 medical professionals within the NHS over the next 15 years.
“We saw during the pandemic that many recently retired doctors still have so much to give. We cannot continue to lose these people, their knowledge, and their expertise. This is the latest in a series of steps to help end the issue of early retirement”
Beyond investment in training and retention, the Government is seeking to reduce red tape within the NHS, and, with the pressures posed by an aging population, there are further reforms to increase the availability of GP services. These include making it easier for doctors to pursue multidisciplinary work, enhancing the role of physician and nursing associates and ensuring all medical school graduates have experience working in General Practice.
Welcoming the changes, Mr Menzies commented “Fylde has the second highest average age in the North West of England and a regular conversation I have with Fylde residents is about GP and dental appointment availability. It is something I regularly raise with Ministers and it is clear that the Government is listening to this feedback and acting upon it”