Commentary on Sections Part 3 - Health Exercise of functions Section 106 – Education and training plans
648.Subsection (1) requires LETBs to publish an education and training plan for each financial year. The education and training plan will set out, amongst other matters, the LETB’s proposed investment in their current and future workforce. Subsection (2) makes provision for the content of the education and training plan. In developing their plans, the LETB must have regard to national objectives, priorities and outcomes set by the Secretary of State and HEE (under section 100), alongside the local priorities of the NHS and public health providers represented by the LETB.
649.Subsection (3) lists matters that a LETB must have regard to in the preparation of the plan.
650.Subsection (4) places a duty on the LETB to involve the providers it represents in the preparation of its education and training plans, along with commissioners of health services, Health and Wellbeing Boards and such other organisations that either it or HEE considers appropriate. It is important that education and training plans are informed by the local needs of the health and public health system.
651.Subsection (5) requires the LETB to submit its education and training plan to HEE for approval prior to publication. Subsection (6) enables HEE to direct LETBs to amend their education and training plans prior to approval. By operation of subsection (7), in the case of LETBs which meet all appointment criteria, HEE’s power is restricted to amendments that HEE considers necessary to ensure that the LETB will achieve the outcomes set by HEE under section 100(4)(b). This is intended to respect the autonomy of the LETB and therefore restricts any amendments to issues linked to nationally agreed priorities, objectives and outcomes. HEE must publish the amendments and the reasons for making them as described in subsection (8).