NHS needs outside expertise for workforce planning

Outside expertise in workforce planning should be brought into the NHS to help improve its record on matching staff numbers to patients' needs, MPs have been told.

Independent health economists could help the NHS make its workforce planning more accurate, the parliamentary health select committee was told last week in the latest evidence session of its inquiry into workforce planning.

Susan Hodgetts, chief executive of the Institute of Healthcare Management, the professional body for health service managers, said health economists would give workforce planning a “reality check.”

In prepared written evidence, she said, “There is a case for workforce …