HEE has appointed a chair to oversee its investigation into expanding the primary care workforce.
Professor Martin Roland, professor of health services research from the University of Cambridge will chair the Primary Care Workforce Commission.
The work was commissioned by HEE at the request of the secretary of state for health due to the emphasis that has been placed on community, primary and integrated services.
The workforce commission will look at patient and population need, emerging models of care that will respond to the population need, maximising new skill sets and education and training for all primary healthcare professionals.
Professor Wendy Reid, director of quality and education at HEE, said: 'Primary care services will need to change to meet the challenges of an ageing population and better serve those with complex health and care needs. This commission is designed to look at the best models of care, responding to the recently published Five year Forward View, and focus on workforce provision that will help break down barriers between primary and secondary care and raise the standards of care for patients.'
Professor Roland said: 'I'm honoured to have the opportunity to chair this commission. Primary care is going to play a more and more important part in delivering healthcare in our country and it's critical that we have the right workforce in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of patients.
This Commission will review not just what types of staff we need in primary care, but also what numbers we need to train and retain to provide a high quality service into the future.'
HEE will be working with partners across the health and social care system as well as working with patients and the public through the HEE Patient Advisory Forum.
A HEE spokesperson said that there would be more detail around the commission released in the new year.