Further supplementary evidence submitted
by the Department of Health (WP 01F)
Thank you for the opportunity to provide evidence
at the hearing on 25 January. I welcomed the discussion and am
writing to enclose the additional information I agreed to provide
about the following issues:
Annex 1: An assessment of productivity and international
comparison.
Annex 2: Specialist nurses at risk of redundancy
and their roles.
Annex 3: Funding for nursing career pathways
in primary care.
Annex 4: Community matrons and the impact on
emergency admissions.
In addition, I agreed to keep you informed
on progress around the measures being taken to address the employment
situation for newly qualified healthcare graduates, such as nurses
and physiotherapists. As I explained to the Committee, I want
to encourage the NHS to develop local flexibilities so that as
many healthcare graduates as possible are employed, rather than
impose any cast-iron directives from the centre. The consistent
message that I have received from employers is that they need
solutions which are flexible, locally driven and founded on partnerships
between employers, staff side and the higher education sector.
Imposing central targets would not help this process.
Having reflected further on this, I have explored
options for establishing local voluntary employment guarantees
within the NHS for new graduates leaving training. Following further
discussions, East of England SHA have volunteered to pilot a short-term
voluntary scheme to graduates qualifying from the Eastern region
over the next six to 12 months. In the interim, we will also continue
to work with all SHAs across England to implement sensible arrangements
with local employers that will maximise the opportunities for
new graduates. I will keep the Committee informed of progress
on this issue.
I look forward to receiving your recommendations
in due course.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Department of Health
5 February 2007
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