The document – which has been developed alongside the government’s recently-released 10 Year Health Plan – sets out three key pillars to boost growth, innovation and better health outcomes: enabling world class research and development; making the UK an outstanding place in which to start, grow, scale and invest; and driving health innovation and NHS reform.

Among the key measures in the Plan are building a training and skills system which delivers a diverse and highly skilled workforce, including Skills England working with employers across the sector to understand skills needs and develop training to meet them.

The Plan also seeks to maximise the use of new and existing programmes to improve skills in a number of high-priority areas, including a focus on specialist artificial intelligence (AI) and entrepreneurial skills.

Also included in the Plan is the introduction of greater flexibility to in spending the new Growth and Skills Levy (which replaced the Apprenticeships Levy), which will enable employers to spend their Levy funds on short courses and other training programmes.

Cogent Skills’ Head of Skills – Life Sciences, Fay Treloar, said: “The Life Sciences Sector Plan has major implications for the workforce agenda, positioning skills and talent development as central to the UK’s ambition to lead globally in science and health innovation.

“Through the Science Industry Partnership, we’re committed to working with employers, LSIPs, Skills England and government to strengthen regional skills pipelines, embed lifelong learning and ensure the sector has the talent it needs to thrive.”

To read the Life Sciences Sector Plan, click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-sciences-sector-plan.