What responsibility do non-NHS organisations have to contribute to national workforce planning?
A. Local Health and Social Care organisations are best placed to assess what is required to deliver the healthcare services that their local population need and have the formal responsibility for doing this. Providers of services delivering to NHS service contracts will be responsible for planning their own workforce. PCT commissioners are responsible for assuring these plans, emphasising the importance of service commissioners and providers working together to produce the best possible workforce planning. This will of course mean working with all organisations delivering NHS services if the picture is to be complete. SHAs have a key oversight and aggregation role, and are responsible for commissioning education and training requirements. Arrangements should be made by PCTs to ensure the integration of workforce planning with all new providers, including the provision of student placements and posts for newly qualifying health professionals.
