Commenting on the mid-year registration data released today (Tuesday) by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, UNISON national nursing officer Stuart Tuckwood said:
“The substantial rise in the number of nurses and midwives leaving since last year is worrying.
“It’s likely many feel unable to cope with the current pressures and neither feel valued by the government nor their employers. Pay must rise ahead of inflation to persuade staff to stay and new applicants to join.
“More than 10,000 nurses have been recruited from outside Europe in the space of six months, bringing welcome expertise. It’s essential they’re given proper support so they can work with confidence in the UK.
“But international recruitment is not a long-term solution. The government must get behind a proper recruitment drive to attract more homegrown nurses and midwives to deal with increasing demand.”
Notes to editors:
-UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
