The NHS is abandoning its previous massive recruitment drive in favor of AI technology to avoid what officials call financial ruin. The workforce plan, being finalized by health officials, proposes using technology to cope with 380,000 fewer staff than the previous Conservative government's plan envisioned, which would have expanded the workforce from 1.4 million to 2.3 million by the mid-2030s.

The new approach would downsize annual staffing increases to just 1.1-2%, with AI used in treatment and even substituting for certain roles. Staff who boost productivity through technology would receive bonuses or extra time off. The plan suggests the NHS will have enough doctors by 2034-35 but may need up to 49,000 more GPs, while nursing numbers would increase by only 50,000—far less than the 170,000-190,000 previously planned.

The shift comes as former Health Secretary Wes Streeting prepares a leadership bid, with new appointee James Murray set to decide on the proposals. The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned the previous plan would have cost an additional £50bn, while the Unison union cautioned that replacing skilled staff with unproven technology would be reckless. Paul Johnson criticized the "chopping and changing" of strategies and expressed skepticism about the NHS's ability to implement advanced AI.