Medical workforce planning. Spreading the load.

Medical workforce planning is a difficult and neglected area, but ignoring it will cost the NHS dear. Setting up collaborative mechanisms to deal with medical training and workforce issues is not easy, but has been shown by one health authority to be worthwhile. Plans for an 8 per cent increase in consultant posts will, if implemented, cost the HA 700,000 Pounds a year in salaries and on-costs alone, but better information has enabled the most beneficial to be prioritised.