Nursing near you: West Midlands

Welcome to the West Midlands

Spanning Herefordshire in the west to Warwickshire in the east, the West Midlands is the third smallest English region by area.

It’s home to the second highest ethnically diverse population in England and Wales. Most West Midlanders live in urban areas, with about a fifth residing in rural areas.

This page was last updated in April 2024. We will update this page next in October 2024.

Key statistics for this region

Population health

This region has a population of 6,420,066
On average, 55.1% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (11,288 individual cases)
7,340 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (166.1 deaths per 100,000 people)
40,611 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 61.0%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 268,672 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (25.8%)
15,055 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (24.1%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 936 children died before their first birthday (5.6 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 377,306 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (27.6%)
20,045 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,935 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 1,570 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 8.9% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 78.7 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 82.6 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 62.1 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 62.6 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 34,755 NHS nurses and health visitors in this region
As of August 2023, there were 54.1 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the regional population
As of August 2023, there were 35,762 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 55.7 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the regional population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 34,042 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 1,720 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 60,763 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.6%
Between January and December 2022, £118,318,196 was spent on agency registered nurses

6,420,066 Population of region

34,755 Full-time equivalent NHS nurses and health visitors

Statistics by local integrated care system (ICS)

NHS Birmingham and Solihull

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,577,949
On average, 52.5% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (1,659 individual cases)
1,519 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (192.4 deaths per 100,000 people)
6,764 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 60.8%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 98,045 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (38.6%)
4,150 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (27.0%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 317 children died before their first birthday (7.4 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 124,389 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (46.1%)
3,695 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,358 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 270 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 9.0% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 77.2 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 81.8 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 59.2 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 60.2 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 11,056 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 70.1 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 11,156 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 70.7 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 10,827 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 329 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 19,515 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.5%
Between January and December 2022, £24,321,000 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Black Country

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,277,444
On average, 55.2% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (1,728 individual cases)
1,373 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (189.7 deaths per 100,000 people)
6,585 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 61.5%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 55,619 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (31.4%)
3,170 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (28.2%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 154 children died before their first birthday (5.1 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 70,138 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (30.1%)
3,385 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,087 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 150 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 5.2% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 77.9 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 81.9 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 60.7 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 60.1 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 6,727 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 52.7 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 6,968 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 54.5 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 6,622 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 346 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 11,541 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.5%
Between January and December 2022, £33,311,693 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Coventry and Warwickshire

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,052,979
On average, 54.5% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (2,166 individual cases)
1,265 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (169.1 deaths per 100,000 people)
6,797 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 57.5%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 33,412 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (20.5%)
2,470 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (23.4%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 149 children died before their first birthday (5.4 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 57,194 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (25.2%)
3,675 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,073 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 340 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 10.3% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 78.7 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 82.5 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 61.6 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 64.0 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 5,313 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 50.5 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 5,406 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 51.3 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 5,168 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 238 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 8,939 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.2%
Between January and December 2022, £27,924,477 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Population health

This ICS has a population of 818,249
On average, 57.7% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (2,172 individual cases)
1,062 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (129.5 deaths per 100,000 people)
6,554 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 53.2%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 24,287 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (18.3%)
1,720 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (21.8%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 88 children died before their first birthday (4.3 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 69,897 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (26.0%)
3,145 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,621 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 280 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 9.0% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 80.3 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.7 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 64.8 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 66.2 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 3,797 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 46.4 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 4,041 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 49.4 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 3,750 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 291 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 7,027 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.8%
Between January and December 2022, £20,511,423 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

Population health

This ICS has a population of 521,391
On average, 56.7% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (866 individual cases)
468 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (139.7 deaths per 100,000 people)
3,230 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 58.2%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 9,449 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (18.4%)
485 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (17.6%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 37 children died before their first birthday (4.9 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 23,091 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (23.0%)
1,355 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,597 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 100 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 7.7% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 79.7 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.6 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 67.1 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 67.1 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 2,310 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 44.3 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 2,421 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 46.4 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 2,262 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 159 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 4,472 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 6.0%
Between January and December 2022, £3,062,000 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,172,053
On average, 54.3% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (2,697 individual cases)
1,653 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (176.3 deaths per 100,000 people)
10,681 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 75.1%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 47,860 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (27.7%)
3,060 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (26.8%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 191 children died before their first birthday (6.3 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 32,597 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (15.0%)
4,790 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,873 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 430 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 12.0% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 78.4 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 82.1 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 59.5 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 57.9 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 5,552 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 47.4 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 5,770 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 49.2 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 5,414 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 357 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 9,270 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.3%
Between January and December 2022, £9,187,603 was spent on agency registered nurses