Responding to NHS England workforce data, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said:
“We are deeply concerned that one in ten NHS nursing roles are now vacant in England, with 4,000 more than this time last year. The highest year on year change since public reporting began.
"This spike comes as nursing staff face increasing pressure to tackle the COVID-19 backlog, and experienced nurses are being forced out of the profession. Last year alone 25,000 registered nurses left.
“To preserve safe patient care the UK government must act now to recruit and retain nurses, backed up by a fully funded workforce plan. Key to keeping nursing staff in the profession is fair pay to combat the cost of living crisis.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
- Data released by NHS Digital shows a year on year increase in full time employed nursing vacancies of 4,294. In Q4 2021/2022 (March 22) 38,972 vacancies were reported, a 0.8% increase from Q4 2020/2021 (March 2021) when 34,678 vacancies were reported.
- Latest data from the NMC shows there has been an increase in the number of nurses leaving the register with 25,000 leaving in the last year.
