As demand for care surges and recruitment becomes more difficult, the NHS needs to work harder to be a better employer. It may find its future depends on it, writes Ben Franklin in the Health Service Journal.

It’s never been more important for the NHS to be a great employer. Growing demand for services due to population ageing and widening health inequalities, have combined with a challenging environment for recruitment and retention, to leave a burgeoning workforce shortage of over 100,000. Without action this could reasonably rise to 350,000 by the end of the decade. To at least maintain the current quality of care, the NHS needs to retain the talent it secures and, in the face of Brexit, be prepared to recruit from other sectors. This is why the NHS’s forthcoming People Plan will prioritise the NHS being the best employer as its core goal - its future survival may depend on it. Read the full article