Workforce: Introduction
This element of the NHS South East region webpage is designed to support you to expand, optimise ARRS and look after your primary care workforce. You’ll find helpful summaries, guidance and links on how the utilise the tools at your disposal.
Modern primary care depends upon making the best use of available resources. This means ensuring there is the right staffing mix in place to deliver appropriate services for patients, and that this workforce is organised and supported in a way that helps them operate effectively, including through investment in digital infrastructure and estates.
The Primary Care workforce has been challenged and stretched over the course of the pandemic and beyond with practices needing to engage in different ways with their patients, find new ways of working. As a result, restoration and recovery must focus on ensuring that both the existing workforce is adequately supported and that systems are able to recruit and train new additions to the workforce. The Primary Care Workforce Programme focuses on:
- creating workforce capacity for general practice
- retaining our existing workforce
- workforce data and planning
- supporting staff wellbeing
The NHS continues to enhance the primary care workforce through Primary Care Network (PCN) funding like the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme a select IIF targets. The government is committed to improving the workforce and funding for recruitment and workforce enhancement will continue. PCNs are now well embedded within general practice and should continue to recruit new staff, promote staff wellbeing, and develop integrated multidisciplinary teams.