NHS is accused of “appalling lack of workforce planning”

The government faced renewed criticism last week of its strategies for the training and recruitment of NHS staff, which may in the future result in more doctors being trained than the NHS can afford to pay.

The chairman of the BMA, James Johnson, told reporters at a press conference in London last week that the NHS's situation “demonstrates an appalling lack of workforce planning.” He called for the reinstatement of more effective planning strategies to avoid wasting millions of pounds of public money.

“In 2008 the year on year significant rise in additional NHS resources will fall back dramatically to figures around the 2.5% level. Despite the extra money NHS trusts all over the …