Recruiting and retaining NHS staff

Early day motion 199, tabled 22 June 2022 by Tony Lloyd (Labour). Signed by 64 members.

That this House acknowledges there is a staffing crisis in the National Health Service, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic but predating it; recognises the intense pressure on healthcare staff, who having worked incredibly hard during the pandemic now face the vast challenge of clearing the backlog of care caused by it; regrets that many are now leaving NHS employment or actively considering it; notes the years of pay freezes and below-inflation pay rises and the spread of in-work poverty in the NHS; therefore calls for a decent pay rise for NHS staff aimed at boosting recruitment and retention, particularly during the cost of living crisis; urges the Government to act sooner rather than later; and further calls for embedding the real living wage as a benchmark and a dedicated retention package focused on encouraging existing, experienced NHS staff at all levels to stay in post.

Signatures by party: Labour 36, Liberal Democrat 11, DUP 3, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Independent 2, Alba 1, Alliance 1, Conservative 1, Green 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.