With the announcement of a General Election on Thursday 4 July 2024 the Council of Deans of Health reiterates the key policies of our manifesto paper to deliver a sustainable NHS:
- Urgently address the growing shortfall in healthcare educators and researchers
- Boost healthcare student recruitment and retention as a priority
- Review the overlapping layers of regulation facing healthcare education
- Expand and diversify the placements needed for a growth in healthcare students
This is all underpinned by the need for closer departmental join-up between health and education as well as the wider involvement of our members to ensure the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan are fully realised.
Our membership comprises over 100 university and further education faculties across every region and nation of the United Kingdom. They lead in healthcare education and research, delivering the overwhelming majority of British-educated nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, the future workforce of the NHS.
The Council has a strong record of engaging with all major political parties in the promotion of healthcare careers that benefit communities across our country. We stand ready to work with the government formed following the election to ensure our members’ voices continue to be heard at the highest levels.
During the election period, the Council will be offering manifesto summaries and online events to support our members. The Council is not a campaigning organisation but members may wish to share our manifesto paper and briefing on our work with any candidates they may engage over the course of the campaign.