There are more nurses, midwives and nursing associates on the NMC register than ever: 826,418. That’s an increase of 37,723 (4.8%) compared with the same period last year, and 128,184 (18.4%) over the last five years.
This includes 765,051 nurses (+4.6% since 2023); 44,125 midwives (+5.8%); and 10,881 nursing associates (+16.6%).
This growth is due, in large part, to the continuous rise in first-time joiners to the register – 59,991 in the last 12 months alone. That’s nearly 15 % higher than the same period last year (52,193), and almost double the number of joiners compared to 2018-2019 (30,618).
The year-on-year growth is higher among international joiners, whose numbers increased by more than 18% compared with the previous year. Almost half (14,615) of this year’s new joiners were educated in India.
However, there continue to be rises in first time joiners from several ‘red list’ countries from which active recruitment is not permitted, although there is nothing to stop individuals applying to work in the UK.
There has been a slight decrease in leavers as a proportion of the register – from 4.2 % in the year 2018-2019, to 3.4 % in the last year.
But one fifth (20.3 %) of these leavers left the register within the first ten years following registration. Around half (49%) of total respondents to the annual leavers’ survey said they left earlier than planned – typically five years sooner than expected
The survey also revealed that while retirement remains the top reason for leaving, professionals also cited poor health (both physical and mental), and burnout as the most common factors.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: ‘It is deeply alarming that over 5,000 young early-career nursing staff chose to quit the profession last year, most vowing never to return. When the vacancy rate is high and care standards often poor due to staffing levels, the NHS cannot afford to lose a single individual.
‘New ministers have to grasp the nettle and make nursing an attractive career. Half of all leavers chose to go earlier than planned last year.
‘Working in understaffed, under-resourced services is taking its toll, with poor physical health, mental health and burnout pushing highly trained nursing staff out the door. This is a tragedy for patient care.
‘The reality for the government is that international recruitment is masking the failure to recruit enough domestic nursing staff, with equal numbers joining services from overseas. Our migrant nursing staff are incredible and vital to the delivery of our health and care services, but this overreliance is unsustainable and unethical. The new government must step in and rescue the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.’
