The government and NHS are set to unveil a refreshed Workforce Plan next summer centring around shifting care from hospitals and into the community, as part of a greater scheme to revitalise a struggling NHS.

Lord Darzi’s report highlighted the systemic issues that have plagued the NHS for years, leading to poor patient and staff experiences following a long-term strategy of delivering too much care in hospitals and lack of investment in community care.

Recent data shows that there are almost 16 per cent fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK than other high income countries, and that the number of nurses working in the community fell by at least 5 per cent, between 2009 and 2023. Although the original workforce plan would raise hospital consultants by 49 per cent, the equivalent rise in fully-qualified GPs would have been just 4 per cent between 2021-22 and 2036-37.

With reform, investment, and a refreshed workforce plan, the government is pledging to ensure the NHS has the right workforce at the right time in order to carry out the 10 Year Health Plan and restore the NHS to its former glory. Lord Darzi’s report highlighted that the NHS has struggled from years of underinvestment and lack of effective reform, resulting in far too many patients in hospital beyond a manageable capacity.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “Lord Darzi diagnosed the dire state of the NHS, including that too many people end up in hospital, because there aren’t the resources in the community to reach patients earlier.

“Our 10 Year Health Plan will deliver three big shifts in the focus of healthcare from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. We will refresh the NHS workforce plan to fit the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, so the NHS has the staff it needs to treat patients on time again.”

As part of the government’s Plan for Change, the chancellor’s first Budget gave £26 billion towards the health system to address critical shortage and cut waiting lists by delivering an extra 40,000 appointments.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said: “The NHS is nothing without our incredible staff and having a sustainable workforce is a key building block for an NHS fit for the future — that’s why we committed to update the plan regularly so that it reflects the changing and growing needs of patients.

“While the NHS is delivering more care to patients in the community, with the expansion of virtual wards, community diagnostic centres and neighbourhood hubs, part of our longer term goal is delivering even more care out of hospitals, and we’ll work closely with the government to refresh the workforce plan, alongside the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan”

A strong and capable workforce will form the cornerstone of the government’s wider 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS to facilitate these three big shifts: from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.

This 10 Year Health Plan is due to be released next Spring. Following that, the workforce plan, expected to be revised every two years, will be refreshed next summer.