- 27 June 2019
- 3 min read
NHS recruitment must be new PM’s first priority
The Public Accounts Committee says NHS Recruitment must be the new PM's first priority. How do the two contenders to be Prime Minister compare in their approach to the NHS?

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – Westminster’s public spending watchdog – has warned Brexit has been overshadowing other serious issues including health and NHS recruitment.
NHS recruitment must be the first priorities of the new prime minister, according to a watchdog.

The incoming premier must “seriously plan” how to manage the issues that are not directly Brexit-related, PAC chairwoman Meg Hillier has said in her annual report.

Outlining areas of concern, she said: “Many of these have an immediate impact on the user – such as the need to tackle recruitment in the NHS so that patients can receive treatment in appropriate timescales.
Read more
• 95% of Nurses say patient health is at risk (and it's due to NHS staff shortages)
• NHS’s 107,000 staff vacancies ‘risk becoming a national emergency’
• Scrapping of Student Nurse bursary will lead to 68,500 nursing vacancy shortage by 2024
• The number of mental health nurses has dropped by 10.6% in 10 years
“Other decisions may not cause an immediate issue but will store up problems for the future.
“There may not be big political kudos in tackling these issues today but there are huge financial and service consequences of deferring difficult decisions.”

NHS staffing shortage - What Hunt and Johnson plan to do with the NHS
NHS staffing shortages were described as “unsustainable” by the Public Accounts Committee, with one in 11 posts vacant including shortages of nurses.
So what are the plans, as we know them, of the two contenders to be Prime Minister?

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson said the health service needs more money, but also said it requires “reform”.
Johnson ruled out a pay-for-access NHS under his watch, even as a result of a post-Brexit trade deal with the US, as some fear.

Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt spent more time in the post of health secretary than anyone else. But his tenure was controversial and he was largely unpopular with staff during the junior doctors’ strike.
Like this article? Subscribe to The Nurses Weekly!
He insists he was “doing the right thing”, but his failure was in communicating his message.
But he has spoken of his pride of the UK pioneering universal health coverage and denied he has any desire to privatise it.
Nurses.co.uk editorial team
About the author
Nurses.co.uk editorial team
Bringing you a daily update of nursing, NHS, health and social care news from around the UK.
Want to get involved in the discussion
Sign In JoinRead something else
5 Practical Tips For Making A Good First Impression For Black Nursing Leaders
If you’re just starting in a senior role, making a positive first impression is key. Band 8 Nurse, Maxine, offers her first impression top tips, as well as advice for dealing with ‘Imposter Syndrome’.
Top Tips For Working Over The Christmas Season
Adult Nurse, Zara, offers her advice and tips for working during the busy festive season, and explains why having a positive attitude is so important for both you and your patients.
What Is Agency Nursing & Why It Could Be Your Next Career Move
Natalie Ponting of MSI group explains the pros and cons of working as an Agency Nurse, contrasting the increased job flexibility and pay with the unpredictability and potential extra costs.
Latest Jobs
Matron - Paediatrics
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Midwifery Matron
Bristol, City of Bristol, England
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Staff Nurse
Carshalton, Greater London, England
Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
Paediatric Staff Nurse
London, Greater London, England
Barts Health NHS Trust
Clinical Lead
Durham, Durham, England
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Staff Nurse
Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
See all of our RGN jobs
5474 jobs currently available