The government will consider how to better recognise the skills and experience of existing healthcare professionals who want to train in a different area of healthcare.

Newly designed courses could take into account existing qualifications, training and experience, making it easier and quicker for existing healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists or pharmacists to train as doctors.

The current training standards are set by the EU. They mean that healthcare professionals wishing to move into another area have to complete a set training course, regardless of any existing health background or qualifications.

This includes 5,500 hours of training and a minimum of 5 years to become a doctor.

Under the potential new system, a physiotherapist who has been in the job for 10 years could complete training based on their experience and qualifications, rather than fixed time-frames.

This will contribute to the government’s ongoing recruitment commitment, which also includes a drive to deliver 50,000 more nurses and 6,000 more GPs by 2025.

It could also allow people from a wider range of backgrounds to train, by offering training that can fit around caring or parenting responsibilities.

Any new education and training courses will be rigorously tested to make sure the UK’s high medical standards continue to be met.

The General Medical Council’s Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) will help to ensure this. The MLA is a standard that all doctors who wish to practise in the UK will need to meet from 2023.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

Our incredible NHS is full of highly-qualified and dedicated professionals – and I want to do everything I can to help them fulfil their ambitions and provide the best possible care for patients.

Without being bound by EU regulations, we can focus on ensuring our workforce has the necessary training which is best suited to them and their experience, without ever compromising on our high standards of care or on patient safety. The plans we are setting out today mean that we can retrain healthcare workers and get them back to the frontline faster. This is good for patients, and good for our NHS.

Healthcare professionals across the NHS work tirelessly, day in, day out, to improve the lives of those around them and I welcome this chance to review any unnecessary barriers that can delay them from reaching their full potential in our NHS.

This is an important step in our efforts to deliver on our commitments and boost the number of staff in our NHS – backed by record funding of £33.9 billion extra a year by 2023/24.

Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer for the NHS, said:

As the NHS delivers on our Long Term Plan and continues to treat record numbers of patients, in addition to greater bed capacity and 50,000 more nurses, we need to do everything possible to keep our world-class staff in the NHS.

Cutting unnecessary red tape, while keeping and strengthening essential safety standards, will enable our committed staff to retrain for other new and exciting roles, which is better for our patients and will mean we make the most of our staff’s invaluable skills and offer them rewarding and lifelong careers in the NHS.

To help reflect advances in technology in the way music is created, recorded and produced, as and to reassess the music education young people benefit from at school, the Department for Education is today (Sunday 9 February) inviting views from musicians, specialist teachers, young people and their parents about their experience and what they want to see in the National Plan for Music Education.

The plan will help level up opportunities for children from all backgrounds to take part in musical education, including the chance to learn how to play an instrument, perform in a choir or band, and develop a lifelong love of music.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said:

All children, regardless of their background, should get the opportunity to play musical instruments, learn to sing and learn how to read and write music in the classroom.

I want to continue to level up opportunities so all young people can get the best out of their music education. We can only achieve this if we reflect on the latest advances in music and work together with experts in the music industry, specialist teachers, as well as reflecting on young people’s experiences.

Chief Executive of the Arts Council, Dr Darren Henley said:

Learning to perform and compose music is a life changing experience, unlocking decades of discovery, enjoyment and creativity. The Government’s commitment to a new National Plan for Music Education is an exciting step in nurturing the next generation of creative talent across England. These young people will go on to become the music industry professionals and the audiences of the future. It’s important that everyone who cares about music takes part in this consultation so that all young people get the chance to fulfil their musical potential.

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber said:

Every child should have the right to free music education as a vital part of the school curriculum. Music is an empowering force for good.

I am very pleased that the Department For Education has taken on board the proven achievements of the Music In Secondary Schools Trust. Under its aegis, 8,000 children now have full access to music whereas before there was none. Parents report that their children now have pride in their accomplishments and that their self-esteem, confidence and self-worth have grown.

It has been proven to be the common denominator in schools where often over sixty languages are spoken. I passionately hope this is the beginning of seeing music back where it belongs as a central part of our schools’ curriculum.

This builds on the recently announced £85million for a further year of our current music and arts programmes, including music hubs, and is in addition to the manifesto commitment to offer an ‘arts premium’ to secondary schools to allow young people to learn creative skills and widen their horizons.

The refreshed National Plan will be published in autumn 2020 and will build on the current plan which was first published in 2011, which sets out our ambitious vision for music education for all children in England. The plan established the music education hubs – a network working in and beyond schools to give children the opportunity to sing and learn instruments.

The Call for Evidence includes specific questions on areas experts have told us are particularly important, including SEND and inclusivity, music technology and the music education hubs. The responses and experiences put forward will help inform changes to the plan which will then be fully consulted on.

In Ankara, the Minister discussed a range of bilateral issues spanning foreign policy and development cooperation with Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, Presidential Adviser Ibrahim Kalin and Deputy Defence Minister Yunus Emre.

Talks covered regional issues including Iran and Iraq, the ongoing need to confront Daesh, the Middle East peace process, as well as the conflicts in Syria and Libya.

Syria and the humanitarian crisis in Idlib was a core focus of Dr Murrison’s meetings. In Gaziantep, the Minister witnessed first-hand the impact of the Syrian conflict, and how the UK is supporting Turkey in hosting more refugees than any other country in the world.

He also met refugees who had fled the conflict as well as Heads of UN Agencies in Gaziantep and Syrian and Turkish NGOs.

Speaking at the end of his visit Dr Murrison said:

”Turkey is an extremely important partner for the UK. I’m grateful to my Turkish counterparts for their perspectives on how we can work together towards shared goals; regional stability and relief for refugees.

“In Gaziantep, I saw for myself the impact UK aid is having, enabling vital health and education services to vulnerable people who have suffered unimaginable trauma in Syria.

“From staff at UN agencies, refugees and NGOs, I heard powerful and emotional testimonies about life in Northern Syria and the appalling escalation of violence. The latest attacks are exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. All parties must adhere to agreed ceasefires, respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and aid workers.”

The UK continues to be a leading donor to the Syria humanitarian response, to date committing £2.81 billion, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. Since 2012, across Syria and the region, we have provided over 28 million food rations, over 17 million medical consultations, and over 12 million vaccines. UK aid provides life-saving support to millions of Syrian refugees.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said

Our final flight from Wuhan took off at 03.20AM (local time) with over 200 passengers on board, including our staff who have facilitated the flight and medics. Alongside British nationals, there are other nationalities on board.

Published 8 February 2020

A third of all board positions in the UK’s FTSE 100 companies are now held by women – meaning a key target of the government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review has been met almost one year early.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom welcomed the “fantastic work” of the Review in meeting this target, achieved on an entirely voluntary basis, without the need for legislation, fines or penalties.

However, figures from the Review highlight a concerning lack of female representation in senior leadership and key executive roles in FTSE companies – for example, just 15% of FTSE 100 finance directors are women. The Review shows that further work is needed for many FTSE 100 companies individually, and for the FTSE 250 overall to meet the 33% target, as it currently sits at 29.5%.

Research produced exclusively for the Review by the Global Institute for Women Leadership at King’s College London also shows women facing everyday sexism in the workplace, with examples including higher reports of insults or angry outbursts directed at women compared to men.

The forthcoming Employment Bill will seek to better support women in the workplace, with measures including enhanced protections from pregnancy and maternity discrimination and, subject to consultation, making flexible working the default.

Business Secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said:

The Hampton-Alexander Review has done fantastic work.

But it’s clear that women continue to face barriers to success, whether that’s through promotion to key roles or how they are treated by colleagues.

Businesses must do more to tackle these issues and we will support them in doing so, including through our world leading reforms to workplace rights.

CEO of Hampton-Alexander Review, Denise Wilson, said:

Half of all available appointments to FTSE 350 leadership roles need to go to women in 2020, not only to meet the 33% voluntary target, but to ensure UK business fully benefits from diverse perspectives and is availing itself of the whole talent pool.

Chair of Hampton-Alexander Review, Sir Philip Hampton, said:

We have come a long way since 2011 when the UK first embarked on a drive towards greater gender equality at the top of British business. We wish to thank all leaders who have played a part in this incredible journey.

Tackling everyday sexism in the workplace

Research by King’s College found that women in senior leadership positions continue to face everyday sexism and what researchers call ‘‘micro-aggressions’’ and ‘‘incivility’’ in the workplace.

King’s College surveyed almost 350 men and women at board or executive committee level and found that:

• 33% of women reported someone at work had made disrespectful or insulting remarks about them, compared to 13% of men
• 23% of women reported that they had been shouted or sworn at by someone at work, compared to 16% of men
• 34% of women reported someone at work had ignored or failed to speak to them, or given them the “silent treatment” compared to 23% of men
• 39% of women reported being targeted by angry outbursts or “temper tantrums” by someone at work, compared to 23% of men

Professor Rosie Campbell, Director of the Global Institute for Women Leadership, King’s College London, said:

Where there are hostile workplace cultures, we simply can’t ask women to lean in and try harder to reach leadership positions.

Instead we need to ensure undermining behaviour is called out, not rewarded, and build an inclusive environment that embraces diverse leaders and allows everyone to thrive and give their best work.

Minister for Women, Victoria Atkins, said:

Equality is about much more than representation. Organisations in the top 25% for gender diversity on their executive teams are 21% more likely to have profits above their industry average.

I’m delighted that 33% of board members in the FTSE100 are women, a year ahead of the Hampton-Alexander Review’s target. Equality is good for business – and it’s clear companies know this.

CBI Director-General, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn DBE, said:

It’s great to see the FTSE 100 meeting the 33% target ahead of schedule, but the job is far from done. The whole FTSE 350 has to redouble its efforts to meet the Hampton-Alexander target by the end of the year.

FTSE 100 firms may be speeding ahead in the boardroom, but they are making far less progress on senior leadership roles. We are still seeing too few women as the executive, day-to-day decision makers of our leading companies – whether that’s as CEOs, MDs, or finance directors. Companies must do everything possible to create inclusive cultures and support talented people from all walks of life into these top jobs.

Notes to editors

Women’s representation by key functional role in the FTSE 100:

• 66% human resource director
• 40% company secretary
• 37% general counsel & company secretary
• 29% general counsel
• 17% chief information officer
• 15% finance director

FTSE 350 Boards

• 29.5% of FTSE 250 board positions are currently held by women. Recent progress indicates the 33% target is on track to be met by the end of 2020
• the number of “One & Done” boards continues to reduce, from 74 in 2018 to around 30 FTSE 350 companies currently with only one woman on the board, including FTSE 100 Rio Tinto Plc and 14 investment trusts
• executive search firms met in the new year to raise the bar on their industry, re-committing to the Enhanced Code of Conduct and supporting their clients with the aim of ensuring at least 45% of all FTSE 250 board appointments go to women

FTSE 350 Leadership (executive committee and direct reports)

• 28.6% of FTSE 100 leadership roles are currently held by women, compared to the target of 33% by the end of 2020
• 27.9% of FTSE 250 leadership roles are currently held by women, compared to the target of 33% by the end of 2020
• the number of all-male executive committees in the FTSE 350 is currently 44 and remains largely unchanged from 2018