NHS Providers responds to the Conservative Party manifesto

Responding to the Conservative Party manifesto, Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers said:

"With commitments spanning the breadth and depth of workforce, social care and digital to public health, capital and mental health, trust leaders will closely scrutinise the wide range of proposals put forward in the Conservative Party manifesto.

"Nurturing a thriving health and care workforce is essential to delivering safe, high-quality patient care now and in the years to come. With over 100,000 vacancies in the health service in England alone, it is vital that any future government commits to implementing and fully funding the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Efforts to retain staff and improve working conditions must be paramount. Central to this is recognising and valuing the contribution of all NHS staff – including NHS managers.

"We need to see a workforce plan for social care too. Increased spending on social care is a step in the right direction but wider sector reform is vital to also improve pay and conditions for staff, support unpaid carers and stabilise a critical provider market that's impacted by inflation and the high cost of living.

"Trust leaders will be encouraged by commitment to NHS funding needs and the promise to deliver the New Hospital Programme by 2030. With vital parts of the NHS crumbling due to years of inadequate investment and hospital, mental health and community trusts facing an eye-watering £11.6bn backlog of essential repairs, an infrastructure programme for the NHS cannot be delivered soon enough.

"Trust leaders know that investment in new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, alongside funding for core IT and digital infrastructure, has the potential to transform healthcare for patients, improve access to services and free up staff time particularly at a time when overall waiting lists are worryingly high and the NHS workforce and frontline services are under huge pressure. But with far too much NHS equipment, technology and digital infrastructure not fit for purpose, it's vital we get the basics right first.

"Finally, trust leaders strive to deliver high quality care for all the patients and communities they serve. With the deep-rooted impact of health and structural inequalities felt throughout our society, it's essential that NHS trusts are supported to deliver safe and inclusive services for patients and safe and inclusive environments for staff."