A range of challenges and gaps in achieving the objective of a more flexible workforce based on competence are highlighted and include:

• the diversity of professions and occupations across health and social care
• the diversity of employment arrangements, cultures and resources for skills and learning in the sector
• skills shortages and gaps across a number of occupations
• inconsistent workforce data and workforce planning
• continuing barriers to skills development resulting from differences of funding across different workforce groups
• new arrangements for modernising health care careers (and training)
• prospective reforms in regulating professional and other staff in the healthcare workforce
• the need to support access to literacy, numeracy, language and IT skills
• the challenges of delivering innovative learning design solutions

Source: Skills for Health 2006