Medical workforce planning

The DHSSPS is responsible for medical workforce planning, and the DHSSPS regional workforce planning group oversees the preparation of workforce plans for Health and Social Care. The Director of Public Health/Medical Director of PHA chairs a medical workforce subgroup which reports to the DHSSPS regional workforce planning group. This subgroup has been tasked with the development of a suite of medical workforce plans for primary and secondary care for the five-year period 2013/14 to 2018/19. These will cover all specialities and will be developed incrementally to enable the methodology to be tested and refined. The methodology engages stakeholders throughout the project to refine the modelling and outputs.

The first speciality to be considered is paediatrics, with the scope including general paediatrics, community paediatrics, paediatric specialities and neonatology.

Each speciality plan is required to take account of key national and regional drivers such as Quality 2020, a strategic move to seven-day services, and a shift from secondary to primary care as outlined in Transforming Your Care, General Medical Council (GMC) requirements, and NICE guidance.