BMA council chair, Mark Porter, has called for national oversight of workforce planning to prevent the over-supply or under-supply of doctors.
MPs on a Commons joint select committee scrutinising the Draft Care and Support Bill have focused on the medical workforce implications as part of a wider inquiry into possible improvements to the draft legislation. Dr Porter has argued that although clauses in the draft bill do mention having sufficient skilled care workers in the local medical workforce, there should be a focus on matching training numbers to jobs. He has also argued for recognition that the process of workforce planning needs to take place at a national level and not left to new LETBs (local education and training boards). In written evidence to the committee, the BMA welcomed the fact that Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, will have a duty to secure an effective system for the education and training of healthcare workers. However, it has called for this duty to further include an assurance that England has enough social care workers with the right skills and training.
