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Press release

The King's Fund responds to the Health Education England merger with NHS England

  • 17 Nov 2021

Commenting on news that Health Education England will be merged into NHS England, Richard Murray, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, said:

'Folding Health Education England into NHS England will make responsibilities for workforce planning much clearer and should make it easier to develop the workforce strategy needed to meet current and future demand for services. But this change will only work if NHS England gives workforce planning the priority it has lacked for so long, and makes full use of the skills Health Education England staff will bring with them.

'While there is logic to it, this move alone will not address staff shortages in the NHS. The workforce crisis has become a blind spot for the government which has made promises, pledges and manifesto commitments, but failed to back the fully funded workforce strategy needed to chart a path out of the staffing crisis.  This needs to change - one step in the right direction would be to accept an amendment to the Health and Care Bill that would see the regular publication of workforce projections and enable a longer-term approach to workforce planning.

'Today’s announcement also leaves unanswered questions about the social care workforce. Just as in the NHS, acute staff shortages are severely hampering social care services. The two sectors are closely intertwined, so solutions for the NHS need to fully consider social care and vice-versa.'

Notes to editors

For further information, or to request an interview, please contact the Press and Public Affairs team on 020 7307 2585 (if calling out of hours, please ring 07584 146035).

The King's Fund is an independent charity working to improve health and care in England. We help to shape policy and practice through research and analysis; develop individuals, teams and organisations; promote understanding of the health and social care system; and bring people together to learn, share knowledge and debate. Our vision is that the best possible health and care is available to all.