
| 8 July 2025
With a unique footprint across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Skills for Health has unparalleled insight into the workforce challenges and strengths that each nation’s healthcare systems face.
Against this background, this report presents an analysis of the current workforce challenges and opportunities across the UK, showcasing best practices and actionable insights to drive real change.
The case studies included in ‘Workforce planning across four nations’ span the United Kingdom’s four devolved nations and identifies areas where converging workforce challenges and pressures are being experienced.
Skills shortages, evolving service demands, and the need for innovative role design are common themes uniting healthcare services across the UK. By taking stock of the current state of workforce planning, it is hoped that lessons can be learnt in order to shape a resilient, adaptable, and skilled healthcare workforce – one that meets the needs of today and is equipped for the challenges of tomorrow.