Real wages have increased in the United Kingdom by roughly 3.1% since the start of the pandemic, in line with the pattern observed across the OECD. This trend of wage compression highlights the bargaining power of workers, the tight labour market pressures on employees, and the narrowing gap between lower and higher paid workers.

• Public funding for health services in England comes from the Department of Health and Social Care’s budget. The Department’s spending in 2022/23 was £181.7 billion, according to The King’s Fund. • The percentage of staff experiencing work-related stress continues to improve across all trust types, although the level is still elevated compared to before the pandemic, according to the NHS Staff Survey of more than 1.4 million employees.

• Resolving NHS workforce shortages is about both recruitment of new staff and retention of existing staff. The majority of NHS leavers are voluntary resignations; with the top two reasons being to seek improvement in work–life balance or because of health issues. Vacancies remain a big concern, with an estimated 111,000 posts unfilled as of June 2024.

• In 2022/23 and through this year, the NHS continues to face considerable challenges. In addition to the challenge of recovery from the pandemic and ongoing global economic volatility, last year saw the start of unprecedented operational and financial impact from industrial disputes between the Government and unions representing multiple professions. The extensive planning and intensive management that the withdrawal of labour has necessitated has impacted the ability of systems and providers to deliver and improve services.

• The number of nonpermanent healthcare workers is equal to 4.8% of permanent healthcare workers, one of the largest ratios when comparing all occupational segments, and underscoring the important role played by temporary staff.

• The flexibility of temporary staffing helps healthcare facilities manage fluctuating patient demands and fill workforce gaps. Data on UK vacancies from June to August 2024 shows an estimated decrease by 42,000 on the quarter to 857,000. Vacancies decreased on the quarter for the 26th consecutive period but are still above pre- pandemic levels. • SIA estimates that 40 firms generated £3.5 billion in UK healthcare temporary and permanent staffing revenue in 2023, representing 56.8% of the market, according to the Largest Healthcare Staffing Firms in the UK report.