'One of the PM's priorities is to cut NHS waiting lists'

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, developed by the NHS and backed by the government, will meet the workforce requirements the NHS has for the future.

On training, the plan includes a commitment to significantly increase the number of domestic medical school, GP, adult nursing, and dental training places. I’m acutely aware of the challenges for people trying to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in East Devon, so a 40% rise in dental training places is a step in the right direction.

The plan also includes measures to provide more routes into NHS professions, such as expanding the number of apprenticeships so more medical students can qualify through this route.

Retaining more existing NHS staff is important to ensure talented people stay in the workforce. The plan will modernise the NHS pension scheme through new retirement flexibilities to retain the most experienced staff, whilst making it easier and attractive for retired staff to return.

The NHS workforce is already growing and is at record levels. There are 58,000 more staff compared to a year ago, including 5,800 more doctors and 14,900 more nurses.

We need these staff for our hospitals here, both now and into the future. Sidmouth, Exmouth, Ottery St Mary, Seaton, Axminster, and Honiton hospitals alongside Seachange in Budleigh Salterton all help take the pressure off the RD&E and provide services for people closer to home.

The multi-million-pound Exeter Nightingale Hospital has been kept open to help diagnose conditions and take pressure off the RD&E too. The South West Ambulatory Orthopaedic Centre has hit a major milestone as it completed its 1,000th knee/hip replacement since opening at the Nightingale in 2022. The Nightingale is now able to offer a range of orthopaedic, ophthalmology, diagnostic, and rheumatology services to local people.

We’re getting on with the job of cutting waiting lists. I’d like to thank everyone in the NHS in Devon for everything they do for all of us.