James Cain, Head of Workforce Transformation, Health Education England, presented the report on Workforce. He said that when the 44 STPs were formed Health Education England was tasked with creating 44 multi-agency action boards.

Population growth has resulted in pressure on health services.

There are pockets in east London which are under doctored. In addition to this the nursing workforce is migrating away due to affordable housing issues.

Workforce retention is included in a work stream. Providing people with careers as opposed to jobs is a key theme in the work. The apprentice levy has increased to enable more local people to enter the workforce as local people are more likely to stay on longer term.

The national target for increasing the number of GPs is 500. North East London has a target of employing 19 additional GPs. Given the population demand, new roles are to be introduced into primary care including physician associate and care navigator. In secondary care a nursing associate role will be introduced.

Dr Sam Everington said that investment is a key factor in retention. Commissioners have invested in training science graduates to learn some GP skills over a 2 year training course. He argued that the diversification of roles is an essential benefit to a changing workforce and used the example of utilising pharmacists, who are over represented in the borough, to support GPs with paperwork and prescriptions. He also advocated for e-contact consultations.

The Chair asked primary care colleagues what they thought about virtual consultations, also referred to as the Babylon Project.  On the whole the GP’s agreed that it was a major risk and encouraged ‘cherry picking’. They thought the funding formula was rather crude, for example a young person with significant needs would generate the same charge as a low risk patient.

Steve Gilvin, Chief Officer, Newham Clinical Commissioning Group, acknowledged that cherry picking is an issue but said there will be a menu of options on what can be provided which is a good thing.

Wendy Matthews, Deputy Chief Nurse /Director of Midwifery, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust, asked what impact Brexit would have on European nurses.

Mr Cain replied that on average European junior nurses leave after two years but experienced nurses tend to stay on. Health Education England is focussing efforts on training newly qualified nurses. There is a Capital Nurse Programme to ensure London nurses are given the best training. With regard to Brexit, there has not been a significant shift towards nurses leaving the country but the reduction of the pound has resulted in difficulty in attracting European nurses on salary.

Councillor Hayhurst asked a question about housing options available to nurses and whether the health service and local authority worked in a joined up way to ensure key workers are provided with suitable housing.

It was noted that there has been little joined up working with the health service and local authorities on key worker housing. Members suggested offering workers a suite  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6