MPs rejected plans for a three-yearly independent health and social care workforce assessment.
Conservative MPs have again rejected legislation that seeks to improve nurse staffing levels.
Health minister Edward Argar claimed the new legislation was “unnecessary” and said the Government was already undertaking substantial work to address chronic staffing shortages in the health service.
The original amendment would have required the government to publish an independent assessment of the health and social care workforce every two years, but this was rejected in March.
Amendment 29B moved this to every three years.
However, on Monday, Conservative MPs joined forces to reject this motion too.
Sweeping the problem under the carpet.
Among those supporting the motion is former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is now chair of the cross-party Health and Social Care Select Committee and over 100 health and social care organisations.
In the Commons, Mr Hunt questioned “why on earth” the Government would not want to train more doctors and nurses.
Mr Hunt added, “We now have in the NHS a workforce issue of enormous proportions, which is why Lords amendment 29 is supported by every NHS leader, every royal college, every health think-tank, every union and more than 100 NHS organisations in total.
“I am afraid that, by voting down a simple request for independent estimates of the number of doctors and nurses we should be training, the Government are actively choosing to sweep the problem under the carpet.”
Patients are paying the highest price.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that patients will be the ones paying the highest price.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said: “Former health ministers have learnt the consequences of ignoring the NHS workforce crisis – it continues to build and yet today’s ministers are digging in.
“All major health care organisations asked them to publish an assessment of how many nursing staff and others are needed to provide safe patient care.
“This is in the face of tens of thousands of nursing vacancies which are contributing to treatment delays, with some patients even paying the highest price.
“Nursing staff will continue to demand action on behalf of patients and the public.”
