The must-read stories and debate in health policy and leadership.

NHS chiefs want employers to use incentives to attract talented digital and technology staff, according to a leaked plan seen by HSJ.

A proposal in the draft document states NHS England will submit evidence to the NHS pay review body, asking them to consider the more “extensive use” of recruitment and retention premia.

The plan, expected to be published in the coming weeks, cites research which found the pay for an average technology role had increased by 7 per cent between 2021 and 2022. Some roles have seen above average rises of more than 9 per cent.

This far supersedes what staff on the Agenda for Change pay framework were awarded, which most digital, data and technology staff are on, in 2021.

The plan states a case for change as the NHS finds itself struggling to recruit talented staff in a highly competitive job market.

NHSE analysis found 86 per cent of surveyed trusts reported finding it “difficult or extremely difficult” to recruit DDaT staff.

Meanwhile, 60 per cent of respondents ranked “better salaries” as number one among top three reasons to address this.

The plan contains 15 “action areas” and deadlines to complete objectives within the next two years.

What staffing crisis?

Anyone will tell you that the NHS has a staffing crisis. The long-term workforce plan, unveiled with much fanfare last year, seemingly offered a solution, with its promise to recruit hundreds of thousands more workers.

Except that right now NHS trusts are being told they should be cutting staff numbers because the financial envelope is so tight.

HSJ has learned that the initial 2024-25 forecasts submitted by trusts and commissioners warned of a £6bn deficit.

For many areas, headcount reductions are the only way to get the numbers to stack up: they recruited more staff in the covid years (often encouraged by NHSE), but now don’t have the money to pay for them.

As one boss put it: “We’ve got virtually no workforce growth in our plan now… and we’ve still got a deficit. To get to breakeven we’d have to be looking at quite a significant workforce reduction.”

Another said it had sparked “horrible” conversations about reducing patient services.

Cynics among the NHS finance community question whether the allocations are indeed “final”, pointing to repeated bailouts this year.

Sarah Walter, of NHS Confederation, said: “This is no way to plan and run a health system fit for the 21st century”.

Also on hsj.co.uk today

We report that social enterprises working with the NHS have written to health and social care secretary Victoria Atkins calling for the promised “covid bonus” to be paid to them urgently. And in ImPatient, David Gilbert goes back to basics and explains what the role of the patient champion is really about.