The National Audit Office (NAO) reported that funding settlements for workforce education and training have been short-term and the timing and levels of agreed funding have not always aligned with the pipeline levels the NHS estimated it needed for mental health. For the longer term, NHSE emphasised the importance of continued funding for training pipelines as current funding arrangements will end by 2023–24. We have also expressed concern about the absence of a long term workforce plan and tensions about funding. NHSE finally published the plan on 30 June 2023.12 The plan sets out overall ambitions for the NHS to secure the staff it needs over the next 15 years, by increasing training pipelines, improving staff retention, and reforming the way staff work and train. It also estimates that mental health and learning disability services will see the highest growth in demand, and notes specific challenges in developing the required mental health workforce, including a higher than average shortfall of mental health nurses 6 Qq 46,79,91; C&AG’s Report, para 13 and Figure 16 7 Qq 79–82; C&AG’s Report, para 13 8 Qq 36, 52,182 ; C&AG’s Report, paras 2.2, 3.17 9 Qq 40, 177; C&AG’s Report, para 3.6 and Figure 14; PMS0006, page 7; PMS0011, page 5; PMS0008, pages 2–3 10 Qq 177–179 11 Qq 82, 85–87, 122, 146, 154; C&AG’s Report, para 3.4 12 Qq 96, 135, 156, 167; C&AG’s Report, para 3.5; NHS England, NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, June 2023 10 Progress in improving NHS mental health services without additional interventions.13 We also raised concerns about the lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities following the merger of NHSE and Health Education England. The Department assured us that there will be continued transparency about funding for education and training following the merger.14 Data and information