What can the NHS learn from other countries on workforce planning?

Several countries have made workforce projections a more consistent and embedded part of their overall workforce planning, which can offer important insights for England. Belgium has had an independent Planning Commission for Medical Supply since 1996, which evaluates the number of doctors anddentists neededover a 50-year period (in five-year intervals) to inform national quotas. Australia similarly has had various committees in place since 1995 to provide independent estimates of workforce supply to inform different planning scenarios and options. The Netherlands and France also have well developed models for integrating projections as part of their workforce planning strategies.