Appropriate staffing levels are an important element of the Care Quality Commission’s registration regime. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service health and care employers to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the staff needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

As part of the NHS People Plan, NHS Improvement and Health Education England are considering how best to support the NHS in ensuring it has access to the staff it needs across England. This has focused on areas such as retaining nurses already employed; supporting their existing nursing workforce in areas such as flexible working; investing in nursing staff’s Continuous Professional Development; and increasing undergraduate supply through attracting more students to study nursing.

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reported that applicants to study nursing have increased by 4% compared to the same period last year.

NHS England and NHS Improvement working with Health Education England are also delivering a major communication campaign ‘We are the NHS’. The campaign aims to reduce vacancy rates across the NHS, with a focus on the nursing profession. There has been a strong focus on recruitment to courses starting in September 2019. From September 2019, a further campaign has been launched to encourage UCAS applications to the January 15 deadline for nursing courses starting in September 2020.

The NHS Ambassadors scheme encourages people working and/or studying in healthcare to volunteer one hour per year to speak in schools about their roles or participate in careers events and activities.

Through the interim People Plan, during 2019/20 we will focus on increasing applications to undergraduate AHP education, particularly in the shortage professions of therapeutic radiography, podiatry, orthoptics and prosthetics/orthotics, and developing Allied Health Professionals faculties to work with healthcare providers to identify how to expand clinical placement activity.

Our ongoing 25% expansion of medical school places in England will see an additional 1,500 new medical school places for United Kingdom domestic students. The extra places have been distributed in geographic areas where there have been fewer training places per unit population.

Appropriate staffing levels are an important element of the Care Quality Commission’s registration regime. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service health and care employers to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the staff needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

As part of the NHS People Plan, NHS Improvement and Health Education England are considering how best to support the NHS in ensuring it has access to the staff it needs across England. This has focused on areas such as retaining nurses already employed; supporting their existing nursing workforce in areas such as flexible working; investing in nursing staff’s Continuous Professional Development; and increasing undergraduate supply through attracting more students to study nursing.

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reported that applicants to study nursing have increased by 4% compared to the same period last year.

NHS England and NHS Improvement working with Health Education England are also delivering a major communication campaign ‘We are the NHS’. The campaign aims to reduce vacancy rates across the NHS, with a focus on the nursing profession. There has been a strong focus on recruitment to courses starting in September 2019. From September 2019, a further campaign has been launched to encourage UCAS applications to the January 15 deadline for nursing courses starting in September 2020.

The NHS Ambassadors scheme encourages people working and/or studying in healthcare to volunteer one hour per year to speak in schools about their roles or participate in careers events and activities.

Through the interim People Plan, during 2019/20 we will focus on increasing applications to undergraduate AHP education, particularly in the shortage professions of therapeutic radiography, podiatry, orthoptics and prosthetics/orthotics, and developing Allied Health Professionals faculties to work with healthcare providers to identify how to expand clinical placement activity.

Our ongoing 25% expansion of medical school places in England will see an additional 1,500 new medical school places for United Kingdom domestic students. The extra places have been distributed in geographic areas where there have been fewer training places per unit population.

Appropriate staffing levels are an important element of the Care Quality Commission’s registration regime. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service health and care employers to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the staff needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

As part of the NHS People Plan, NHS Improvement and Health Education England are considering how best to support the NHS in ensuring it has access to the staff it needs across England. This has focused on areas such as retaining nurses already employed; supporting their existing nursing workforce in areas such as flexible working; investing in nursing staff’s Continuous Professional Development; and increasing undergraduate supply through attracting more students to study nursing.

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reported that applicants to study nursing have increased by 4% compared to the same period last year.

NHS England and NHS Improvement working with Health Education England are also delivering a major communication campaign ‘We are the NHS’. The campaign aims to reduce vacancy rates across the NHS, with a focus on the nursing profession. There has been a strong focus on recruitment to courses starting in September 2019. From September 2019, a further campaign has been launched to encourage UCAS applications to the January 15 deadline for nursing courses starting in September 2020.

The NHS Ambassadors scheme encourages people working and/or studying in healthcare to volunteer one hour per year to speak in schools about their roles or participate in careers events and activities.

Through the interim People Plan, during 2019/20 we will focus on increasing applications to undergraduate AHP education, particularly in the shortage professions of therapeutic radiography, podiatry, orthoptics and prosthetics/orthotics, and developing Allied Health Professionals faculties to work with healthcare providers to identify how to expand clinical placement activity.

Our ongoing 25% expansion of medical school places in England will see an additional 1,500 new medical school places for United Kingdom domestic students. The extra places have been distributed in geographic areas where there have been fewer training places per unit population.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

NHS Digital has advised that data for the last 10 years can only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

The review of national standards for healthcare food for patients, staff and visitors is bringing together relevant food requirements and best practice from the National Health Service. The new standards will reflect Government nutrition advice, as outlined in Public Health England’s (PHE) Eatwell Guide.

The review of national standards for healthcare food is being developed alongside the Hospital Food Review and the new standards are expected to be published early next year.

The Hospital Food Review is being undertaken by a Panel chaired by Philip Shelley, Facilities Manager at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The members of the Panel are:

- Emma Brookes, NHS Improvement;

- Michael Bellas, NHS Improvement;

- Tina Potter, Food Standards Agency;

- Rachel Manners, PHE;

- Martin Steele, NHS Property Services;

- Kerry Trunks, NHS/Ward Sister;

- Craig Smith, Hospital Caterers Association (HCA);

- Gail Walker, HCA/Open Door;

- Balwinder Dhoot, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

- Susannah McWilliam, Soil Association;

- Maxine Cartz, British Dietetic Association (BDA);

- Andy Burnham, BDA;

- Jason Yiannikkou, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); and

- William Vineall, DHSC.

Prue Leith has been appointed as an advisor to the review.

The review will also consult other key stakeholders, including NHS trusts, professional associations, patient representatives and commercial suppliers. Organisations involved in the provision of food to the NHS that will be consulted include:

- Apetito;

- Anglia Crown;

- Tillery Valley;

- Brakes;

- Bidfood; and

- Healthy Food Company.

This is not an exhaustive list and other organisations may be consulted.

The Hospital Food Review is scheduled for completion in January 2020.

The review of national standards for healthcare food for patients, staff and visitors is bringing together relevant food requirements and best practice from the National Health Service. The new standards will reflect Government nutrition advice, as outlined in Public Health England’s (PHE) Eatwell Guide.

The review of national standards for healthcare food is being developed alongside the Hospital Food Review and the new standards are expected to be published early next year.

The Hospital Food Review is being undertaken by a Panel chaired by Philip Shelley, Facilities Manager at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The members of the Panel are:

- Emma Brookes, NHS Improvement;

- Michael Bellas, NHS Improvement;

- Tina Potter, Food Standards Agency;

- Rachel Manners, PHE;

- Martin Steele, NHS Property Services;

- Kerry Trunks, NHS/Ward Sister;

- Craig Smith, Hospital Caterers Association (HCA);

- Gail Walker, HCA/Open Door;

- Balwinder Dhoot, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

- Susannah McWilliam, Soil Association;

- Maxine Cartz, British Dietetic Association (BDA);

- Andy Burnham, BDA;

- Jason Yiannikkou, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); and

- William Vineall, DHSC.

Prue Leith has been appointed as an advisor to the review.

The review will also consult other key stakeholders, including NHS trusts, professional associations, patient representatives and commercial suppliers. Organisations involved in the provision of food to the NHS that will be consulted include:

- Apetito;

- Anglia Crown;

- Tillery Valley;

- Brakes;

- Bidfood; and

- Healthy Food Company.

This is not an exhaustive list and other organisations may be consulted.

The Hospital Food Review is scheduled for completion in January 2020.

The review of national standards for healthcare food for patients, staff and visitors is bringing together relevant food requirements and best practice from the National Health Service. The new standards will reflect Government nutrition advice, as outlined in Public Health England’s (PHE) Eatwell Guide.

The review of national standards for healthcare food is being developed alongside the Hospital Food Review and the new standards are expected to be published early next year.

The Hospital Food Review is being undertaken by a Panel chaired by Philip Shelley, Facilities Manager at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The members of the Panel are:

- Emma Brookes, NHS Improvement;

- Michael Bellas, NHS Improvement;

- Tina Potter, Food Standards Agency;

- Rachel Manners, PHE;

- Martin Steele, NHS Property Services;

- Kerry Trunks, NHS/Ward Sister;

- Craig Smith, Hospital Caterers Association (HCA);

- Gail Walker, HCA/Open Door;

- Balwinder Dhoot, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

- Susannah McWilliam, Soil Association;

- Maxine Cartz, British Dietetic Association (BDA);

- Andy Burnham, BDA;

- Jason Yiannikkou, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); and

- William Vineall, DHSC.

Prue Leith has been appointed as an advisor to the review.

The review will also consult other key stakeholders, including NHS trusts, professional associations, patient representatives and commercial suppliers. Organisations involved in the provision of food to the NHS that will be consulted include:

- Apetito;

- Anglia Crown;

- Tillery Valley;

- Brakes;

- Bidfood; and

- Healthy Food Company.

This is not an exhaustive list and other organisations may be consulted.

The Hospital Food Review is scheduled for completion in January 2020.

Between November 2017 and March 2019, the NHS England Nursing Directorate delivered two nutrition improvement collaboratives which supported 50 National Health Service provider organisation to deliver improvements in the provision of nutritional care. The overall aims were to:

- Increase the proportion of patients with an accurate nutritional screen;

- Increase the proportion of patients receiving appropriate nutritional interventions; and

- Introduce or increase the use of quality improvement tools and techniques.

The organisations involved in the collaboratives had multi-professional teams including nurses, Allied Health Professionals and caterers. A range of interventions were introduced by the organisations to support improvements including education, training of staff, reviewing availability of equipment to support nutritional screening and assessment. Governance structures were implemented to enable reporting of nutritional care to the trust board. To further build on this a Nutrition Quality Improvement Toolkit is also being developed.

The review of national standards for healthcare food for patients, staff and visitors is bringing together relevant food requirements and best practice from the National Health Service. The new standards will reflect Government nutrition advice, as outlined in Public Health England’s (PHE) Eatwell Guide.

The review of national standards for healthcare food is being developed alongside the Hospital Food Review and the new standards are expected to be published early next year.

The Hospital Food Review is being undertaken by a Panel chaired by Philip Shelley, Facilities Manager at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The members of the Panel are:

- Emma Brookes, NHS Improvement;

- Michael Bellas, NHS Improvement;

- Tina Potter, Food Standards Agency;

- Rachel Manners, PHE;

- Martin Steele, NHS Property Services;

- Kerry Trunks, NHS/Ward Sister;

- Craig Smith, Hospital Caterers Association (HCA);

- Gail Walker, HCA/Open Door;

- Balwinder Dhoot, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

- Susannah McWilliam, Soil Association;

- Maxine Cartz, British Dietetic Association (BDA);

- Andy Burnham, BDA;

- Jason Yiannikkou, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); and

- William Vineall, DHSC.

Prue Leith has been appointed as an advisor to the review.

The review will also consult other key stakeholders, including NHS trusts, professional associations, patient representatives and commercial suppliers. Organisations involved in the provision of food to the NHS that will be consulted include:

- Apetito;

- Anglia Crown;

- Tillery Valley;

- Brakes;

- Bidfood; and

- Healthy Food Company.

This is not an exhaustive list and other organisations may be consulted.

The Hospital Food Review is scheduled for completion in January 2020.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

The Elective Care Transformation Programme has developed best practice tools from a number of workstreams from 2017. This includes service specifications and mobilisation plans alongside support events and tools to aid implementation at a local level.

The programme has established reporting systems with NHS England and NHS Improvement regional teams to provide assurance and support with implementation. The Elective Care Community of Practice enables local systems to share learning about Elective Care Transformation and provides a platform for further engagement and support for local implementation.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR has a large programme of work to look at the causes of obesity, in addition to research on prevention and treatment. The NIHR has invested £5 million over five years in an Obesity Policy Research Unit which has a programme of work to provide robust evidence and a deeper understanding of the causes of childhood obesity, including research on marketing, food environment and behaviour change.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including obesity; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

It is the responsibility of National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the appropriate professionals needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

Dermatology is a highly competitive specialty training pathway and often oversubscribed. Nationally and locally there has been a 100% fill rate in dermatology training for the past four years. Since 2010, the number of full-time equivalent dermatologists (doctors at the consultant grade) has increased by 26% rising from 464 in May 2010 to 584 in May 2019.

The interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the NHS and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. In advance of publishing the final People Plan, the NHS will establish a national programme board to address geographical and specialty shortages in medicine.

It is the responsibility of National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the appropriate professionals needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

Dermatology is a highly competitive specialty training pathway and often oversubscribed. Nationally and locally there has been a 100% fill rate in dermatology training for the past four years. Since 2010, the number of full-time equivalent dermatologists (doctors at the consultant grade) has increased by 26% rising from 464 in May 2010 to 584 in May 2019.

The interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the NHS and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. In advance of publishing the final People Plan, the NHS will establish a national programme board to address geographical and specialty shortages in medicine.

It is the responsibility of National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the appropriate professionals needed to support these levels and meet local needs.

Dermatology is a highly competitive specialty training pathway and often oversubscribed. Nationally and locally there has been a 100% fill rate in dermatology training for the past four years. Since 2010, the number of full-time equivalent dermatologists (doctors at the consultant grade) has increased by 26% rising from 464 in May 2010 to 584 in May 2019.

The interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the NHS and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. In advance of publishing the final People Plan, the NHS will establish a national programme board to address geographical and specialty shortages in medicine.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.