NHS staff shortages include nurses, midwives, GPs, hospital doctors and mental health workers. Staff leave because of low pay, stress and reduced job satisfaction. Recruitment and retention is a growing problem in this major staffing crisis. In July the government published a long-term workforce plan. Many are sceptical about whether it will lead to a sufficient increase in staff numbers. If it is successful, there will be 300,000 extra doctors, nurses and health professionals by 2037 by training, retention and reform. Criticisms of the plan include shortening medical degree courses from 5-6 years to four years and the general vagueness around who will train the expansion in medical students. There is also uncertainty over funding after the first five years of the 14-year plan. The total absence of any mention of pay and its importance in retention is the elephant in the room.