7. EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY
7.1.9 Are any NHS organisations still enforcing
a vacancy freeze for any categories of staff? Does the Department
anticipate that further savings will be made in this way? (Q88)
Answer
1. The Department of Health is not aware
of any staff groups or trusts that are currently enforcing a vacancy
freeze.
2. Local trusts retain discretion over the
management of their finances, along with any use of vacancy freezes.
Accordingly, recruitment and retention amongst staff groups will
vary between individual organisations.
3. Overall, the NHS is in a very healthy
position regarding recruitment and retention, and is becoming
increasingly self-sufficient in terms of matching supply with
demand in many areas. The service is investing in training, improving
retention and can use international recruitment to address any
skills gaps.
4. The 2009 Vacancy Survey highlights
the fact that NHS organisations are still recruiting staff. This
is good news for newly qualified staff, who are this year looking
for positions in the NHS, and for people wanting to restart an
NHS career or change careers.
5. Following a period of rapid expansion
in the last 10 years, the NHS is now achieving greater stability
in staff numbers. As the NHS enters a period of greater fiscal
restraint and lower funding growth, the focus is moving away from
expanding capacity to improved efficiencies through quality, innovation,
productivity and prevention.
6. Productivity improvements are not about
making people work harder, which would not be sustainable in the
long run, but about working smarter, and the Department is committed
to continuous improvement in efficiency.
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