Implementing the NHS Workforce Long Term Plan

Nurse smiling at patient while giving the patient their medication

The NHS Workforce Alliance: Nobody is better placed to help you meet the challenge of reducing agency spend – a key theme of the NHS Workforce Long Term Plan

The NHS Workforce Alliance is the biggest public procurement partnership in the UK, bringing together a wealth of trusted commercial expertise and market knowledge. Our services are aligned with the recently published NHS Workforce Long Term Plan, which means we’re ready to help you find solutions to recruitment challenges highlighted in the plan including reducing reliance on agency staff, particularly the high costs associated with off-framework supply.

The NHS Workforce Long Term Plan, published on 30 June 2023, outlines strategies for a sustainable future which includes reforming the way we recruit and retain NHS staff. The plan focuses on recruiting thousands more staff in a patient focused, cost-effective and sustainable way – and seeks to avert the risk of a predicted staffing shortfall of up to 360,000 by 2031/32.

Let’s develop a robust and sustainable workforce strategy together

Our market-leading team of health workforce experts can help you to develop and implement local strategies. With our extensive knowledge of the health sector and a data driven ethos, we can help you implement and manage a robust and sustainable ‘bank first’ strategy and ensure all agency expenditure is managed through approved and quality-assured framework agreements. This means you can procure quality NHS compliant candidates, both regionally and nationally covering the full range of clinical and non-clinical specialisms.

“What was really helpful for us was the support they gave us. We felt the team was like an extension of our own team, bolstering our knowledge, understanding and experience with theirs. We now have a preferred supplier list which we are managing for ourselves with the continued support of Steph and the team as we move towards implementation.”

Kelly Willoughby, Deputy Director of Procurement, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Greater efficiencies through a collaborative cost-effective approach

The Alliance brings together the deep market knowledge and national leverage of the NHS and the Crown Commercial Service. We have national coverage and dedicated regional leads to help you develop bespoke, cost-effective solutions aligned with the NHS Workforce Long Term Plan. Our joined-up approach brings efficiencies and cost savings which are invested directly back into the NHS.

In 2022/23, we helped the NHS save over £200 million in contingent labour costs.

As part of the NHS, we share your long-term objectives

We are part of the NHS and motivated by a genuine desire to reshape the commercial management of NHS workforce for the better by reducing reliance on agency staff and off-framework spend. We follow the highest level of compliance in everything we do to ensure patient care is our priority.

We have noted the long-term emphasis on future recruitment placed on apprenticeships and our leadership team is currently developing plans for how we can support this initiative.

For now, we’d like to signpost some resources that we hope are of use to you: