Partha Kar: NHS workforce planning is missing clarity and direction

The healthcare workforce has been in constant flux in recent years. Besides conversations about the next version of the workforce plan due this year, some other recent developments are interlinked but make little sense in isolation.Steps have been taken to reduce reliance on international medical graduates, possibly on the assumption that UK graduates would eventually meet workforce needs. In the meantime, roles such as physician assistants and other non-doctor positions may have been expected to fill gaps, particularly in areas that attract fewer UK graduates. The idea seems to be that domestic graduates could focus on specialties and locations of their choice, while other healthcare professionals take on service heavy roles that were traditionally staffed by international doctors. This approach may reflect miscalculations about workforce supply and demand.The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act becoming law means that UK graduates will be prioritised over international graduates for medical training posts.1 I suspect…