Clause 34 - Report on assessing and meeting workforce needs

Health and Care Bill – in the House of Commons at 4:30 pm on 23 November 2021.

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Votes in this debate

  • Division number 119
    A majority of MPs voted not require a report at least every two years on the current and future health and social care workforce.

Amendment proposed: 10, page 42, line 12, leave out from beginning to the end of line 17 and insert—

“(1) The Secretary of State must, at least once every two years, lay a report before Parliament describing the system in place for assessing and meeting the workforce needs of the health, social care and public health services in England.

(2) This report must include—

(a) an independently verified assessment of health, social care and public health workforce numbers, current at the time of publication, and the projected workforce supply for the following five, ten and 20 years; and

(b) an independently verified assessment of future health, social care and public health workforce numbers based on the projected health and care needs of the population for the following five, ten and 20 years, consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility long-term fiscal projections.

(3) NHS England and Health Education England must assist in the preparation of a report under this section.

(4) The organisations listed in subsection (3) must consult health and care employers, providers, trade unions, Royal Colleges, universities and any other persons deemed necessary for the preparation of this report, taking full account of workforce intelligence, evidence and plans provided by local organisations and partners of integrated care boards.”—(Jeremy Hunt.)

This amendment would require the Government to publish independently verified assessments every two years of current and future workforce numbers required to deliver care to the population in England, based on the economic projections made by the Office for Budget Responsibility, projected demographic changes, the prevalence of different health conditions and the likely impact of technology.

Question put, That the amendment be made.

Division number 119 Health and Care Bill — Clause 34 — Report on Assessing and Meeting Workforce Needs

A majority of MPs voted not require a report at least every two years on the current and future health and social care workforce.

Aye: 214 MPs

No: 276 MPs

Aye: A-Z by last name

Tellers

No: A-Z by last name

Tellers

Absent: 153 MPs

Absent: A-Z by last name

The House divided: Ayes 219, Noes 280.

Question accordingly negatived.