Responding to the Queen's Speech, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:
“Ministers say supporting the NHS to clear the COVID-19 backlog is one of their key priorities – but without the workforce to do it these are only hollow words.
“Their levelling-up agenda is front and centre of their legislative plans, but the playing field in nursing is far from even.
“With tens of thousands of vacancies in health and care across the country, nursing staff are facing a losing battle in trying to provide safe and effective care without the staff to do it.
“Clearing the COVID-19 backlog is just one part of the picture – there has been a sharp rise in people leaving the profession in the last year. Without a credible workforce plan, patients will continue to suffer.
“Plans for reforms of the Mental Health Act are a step in the right direction, but that also requires a fully-funded workforce plan.
"Despite government rhetoric today, the number of unfilled nurse jobs in the NHS is not coming down."
Ends
Notes to Editors
Between September 2020 and September 2021, 13,945 people left the UK NMC register. In the previous year (September 2019 - September 2020), 11,020 left the register. This is an increase of 2,925 leavers (+27%) across the UK.
