The number of people studying to become nurses has collapsed in
every region in England, putting the government's plan to rescue
the NHS at risk, new analysis by the Royal College of Nursing
(RCN) has revealed today [Monday 28 October].
Latest regional data from the university admissions service UCAS
shows the number of people accepted onto nursing courses fell by
up to 40% in parts of England between 2020 and 2023, as the
College renews its call for a new plan and better financial
incentives.
The nursing union is warning that entire regions are being left
behind by a failing nurse education system. It comes just one
week after the government launched its 10-Year Plan consultation
to fix a “broken NHS”.
The RCN is urging the government to introduce a loan forgiveness
model for students who commit to working in the NHS following
graduation and funding for living costs. The College says this is
vital to improve recruitment into the profession.
In the North East, the hardest-hit region, acceptances onto
pre-registration nursing courses have plummeted by 40%. With
registered nurses typically going on to work in the region where
they study, the College is concerned this could mean fewer nurses
in the same local areas.
Yorkshire and Humberside and the South West of England saw drops
of 25% each. In the other regions, the fall in acceptances was
22% in the East of England, 19% in the South East, 18% in the
North West, 15% in the East Midlands, 14% in the West
Midlands, and 12% in London.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims to grow the nursing
workforce from around 350,000 nurses to around 550,000 in
2036/37. However, the RCN's analysis shows the plan is not yet
affecting numbers, with just 1,000 extra people a year currently
forecast to start nursing courses in 2029 compared with a decade
earlier. There are currently over 31,000 unfilled nursing posts
in England's NHS.
Changes made in 2016 saw bursaries for nurse education scrapped,
meaning students now pay over £9,000 each year to join the
profession. Nursing students complete thousands of placement
hours as part of their training, working full days in services on
top of assignments, supporting other staff and patients.
The RCN says nursing students need specific funding commitments
to reflect their unique circumstances and to encourage more
domestic recruitment.
A properly staffed NHS is crucial to delivering the government's
own ambitions to get NHS services back on track, shifting care
from hospital to community.
It comes as the RCN joins other royal colleges in calling for a Commons
inquiry into unrealistic workforce plans.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor
Nicola Ranger said:
“The prospect of huge debt and lack of financial support is
putting off the nurses of the future, threatening to leave
patients without the highly trained nursing professionals they
desperately need. Nursing is an incredible career, but to fix a
broken NHS, the government must fix a broken nurse education
model.
“Across the NHS alone there are tens of thousands of vacancies
and demand for services continues to rise. We desperately need
more people to join the profession, but the reality is nursing
numbers are going in the wrong direction.
“Ministers are right to want to modernise the NHS and shift care
into the community, but to do that you must make nursing an
attractive career once again. That means forgiving the tuition
fee loans of those who commit to working in the health service
and funding their living costs. Investment in nursing is always
money well spent.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
According to RCN analysis of regional UCAS data, acceptances on
pre-registration nursing courses fell by the following between
2020-2023:
- East Midlands: fell from 1,910 to 1,625
- East of England: fell from 2,065 to 1,610
- London: fell from 4,110 to 3,630
- North East: fell from 1,580 to 945
- North West: fell from 4,910 to 4,040
- South East: fell from 2,425 to 1,235
- South West: fell from 1,650 to 1,235
- West Midlands fell from 3,505 to 3,000
- Yorks/Humber: fell from 2,795 to 2,100
In 2019, the total number of students accepted onto nursing
courses in England was 19,630. The RCN projects that this figure
will be 20,567 in 2029, fewer than 1,000 more.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims to grow the nursing
workforce from around 350,000 nurses to around 550,000 in
2036/37.
There are 31,293 registered nurse vacancies in the NHS in England
(FTE) as of 29 August 2024.
In the North East and Yorkshire, there were 3,269 total
registered nurse vacancies (FTE) in Q1 of financial year
2024/25.
