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Publication, Part of

NHS Workforce Statistics - October 2025

Official statistics

Publication Date:
8 Jan 2026
Geographic Coverage:
England
Geographical Granularity:
Ambulance Trusts, Care Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Hospital and Community Health Services, Hospital Trusts, Mental Health Trusts, NHS Trusts, Regions
Date Range:
30 Sep 2009 to 31 Oct 2025

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NHS Workforce Statistics - October 2025

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Introduction

Following the successful production of data 8 weeks after period end (instead of the previous 12 weeks), we have now moved to a single set of data files produced via new data processing methods. This publication now only contains outputs in the format of the files previously labelled as ‘Preliminary’.

To allow the adoption of a new publication timetable, both the September 2025 and October 2025 data months are being released on 8 January 2026.

From 29 January 2026 onwards (November 2025 data month) a single set of data files will be published each month, 8 weeks after period end.

8 January 2026 09:30 AM

Page contents

Summary

This report shows monthly numbers of NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) staff. The data is split between staff working in NHS Trusts and other core organisations in England (excluding primary care staff), and staff working in NHS support organisations and central bodies. Data are available as full-time equivalent and headcount and for all months from 30 September 2009 onwards.

These data are a summary of the validated data extracted from the NHS HR and Payroll system.

Monthly NHS Staff Earnings, monthly NHS Staff Sickness Absence reports, and data relating to the Primary Care workforce are also available via the Related Links below.

We welcome feedback on the methodology and tables within this publication. Please email us with your comments and suggestions, clearly stating Monthly HCHS Workforce as the subject heading, via [email protected] or 0300 303 5678.

Key Facts

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

is a standardised measure of the workload of an employed person and allows for the total workforce workload to be expressed in an equivalent number of full-time staff. 1.0 FTE equates to full-time work of 37.5 hours per week, an FTE of 0.5 would equate to 18.75 hours per week.

All staff in NHS Trusts and other core organisations

1,379,191 FTE in October 2025. This is 1.1% (14,407) more than in October 2024.

1,546,205 Headcount in October 2025. This is 1.1% (16,723) more than in October 2024.

Professionally qualified clinical staff* in NHS Trusts and other core organisations

Professionally qualified clinical staff make up over half (54.7%) of the FTE HCHS workforce.

754,612 FTE in October 2025. This is 3.0% (21,699) more than in October 2024.

 

835,681 Headcount in October 2025. This is 3.0% (24,385) more than in October 2024.

 

* This group includes all HCHS doctors, qualified nurses and health visitors, midwives, qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff and qualified ambulance staff.

Last edited: 8 January 2026 9:38 am