NHS staff numbers are rising as the government seeks to cut waiting lists, but a new report warns key targets are unlikely to be met.
Statistics published this morning by NHS England show a 2.3% year-on-year increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, bringing the total to 1,374,557 in June. This also represents a small rise compared with the previous month.
On the same day, the Health Foundation released a report warning that the government is on course to miss a major NHS waiting list pledge.
The NHS data also shows that 54% of staff are professionally qualified clinical staff, a 4.1% increase from last year. The workforce includes 413,066 support staff, 368,497 nurses and health visitors, and 147,836 hospital and community health service (HCHS) doctors.
The data team at Polimapper has visualised NHS workforce statistics by Integrated Care Board.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB recorded the highest staff density, with one NHS worker for every 29 residents. In contrast, the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB recorded the lowest density, with 87 residents per member of staff. Explore statistics in your area below.
About this map
In this visualisation, we have mapped NHS workforce statistics (FTE) by staff type and by Integrated Care Board in England. Figures are also available as proportions – calculated using ICB population values.
To explore statistics in your area double click on the map or use the search bar above. Alternatively, click here to launch the full page visualisation.
Geodata context
Analysis by the Health Foundation suggests that, while waiting lists are likely to fall, the government will not hit its target on time. The Labour government has pledged that 65% of patients should be treated within 18 weeks by July 2029.
Dr Francesca Cavallaro, senior analytical manager at the Health Foundation: “The government has clearly made progress in reducing NHS waiting times. But on current trends, our analysis shows that the NHS would just fall short of meeting the 18-week standard by the end of the parliament.”
“The scale of the challenge remains significant, and even getting close to meeting the target would be a considerable achievement. This will require not just more activity, but smarter use of resources and continued investment in the NHS workforce and infrastructure. And there are several factors that could hold back progress, including if future referrals rise faster than expected and the potential impact of further industrial action.”
“Placing so much emphasis on the 18-week target risks slower progress on other key issues, such as improving access to GPs, which we know is the public’s top priority for the NHS.”