- Progress report published this week outlines timing and plans for achieving the milestone of 50,000 extra nurses within the NHS.
- Extra nurses will help the NHS recover from the pandemic, tackle COVID backlogs and ensure it continues providing world-class care in the years to come.
Local MP Antony Higginbotham has welcomed a report showing that the government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to deliver 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by 2024, with over 27,000 more nurses now working across the NHS.
A progress report published this week shows that overall the total number of nurses stands at 327,907, as of December 2021, compared to 300,904 in September 2019.
Commenting Antony Higginbotham MP said:
When I was elected, I promised to increase the number of nurses working within our NHS, because I know how important they are to the functioning of our local healthcare services. My grandma was a nurse at Burnley General Hospital for many years and worked tirelessly to care for others, as do the thousands of nurses we have working across East Lancashire.
And I’m pleased to see that the figures released this week show that we have more nurses working in the NHS than ever before. It means we can continue to provide world class healthcare for the residents of Burnley and Padiham and crucially tackle the backlog caused by the pandemic.
The figures also show that this year alone applicants to nursing courses have increased 34% with the likes of Burnley College and UCLan playing a leading role in training up the next generation of nurses. There’s much more to do to make this an attractive career choice and I’ll continue to work with the Government, Trust and others to support our NHS so that residents have better local healthcare services as and when they need them.
By March 2024, there are set to be around 351,000 full-time equivalent nurses to provide world-class care across the health service with the report setting out the government’s plans for reaching the target.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
It’s fantastic to see the progress we have made towards our manifesto commitment of delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024. There are now over 27,000 more nurses providing exceptional care and treatment for patients across the country every day.
Nurses are the absolute backbone of our NHS, without whom we would have been lost throughout the pandemic and who will be vital in helping the NHS tackle the COVID backlogs. This government will continue to do everything we can to recruit and retain even more nurses and to support our NHS.
The report is published ahead of a speech this week from the Health and Social Care Secretary on his plans for long-term healthcare reform to support the NHS to recover and tackle the COVID backlogs.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
We committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by 2024, and we are over halfway to meeting this target with over 27,000 more nurses already in our NHS compared to September 2019.
I’m grateful to all our NHS nurses who’ve shown immense commitment during the pandemic, working tirelessly to look after us and our loved ones. It is this dedication that is inspiring the next generation and ensuring the NHS continues to provide world-class healthcare.
As part of the progress report, government is outlining where additional nurses will come from and how they will be recruited. This includes:
- domestic recruitment, including undergraduates, postgraduates, apprenticeships, nursing associates and assistant practitioners converting to fully qualified nurses
- international recruitment
- successful retention of existing staff
Overall, more than 50,000 nurses will be recruited to offset those who are retiring or leaving the workforce, delivering a net total of at least 50,000.
International recruitment is expected to deliver between 51,000 and 57,000 more nurses while around 68,000 to 75,000 more nurses will be trained in England by 2024.
Retention is also a key part of the plan and is expected to contribute between 3,000 and 9,000 nurses to the overall target by addressing the reasons why staff leave the NHS. The government and NHS are focused on making the NHS the best place to work through providing health and wellbeing initiatives, expanding flexible working and putting a greater focus on career development – initiatives which are already helping to retain more existing nurses.
This includes £37 million to fund 40 staff mental health hubs nationwide, that sit alongside a dedicated helpline and a 24/7 text support services.
Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:
The NHS is caring for more patients than ever before but, to continue doing so, it is vital that we boost the number of nurses in the NHS and reach the target of 50,000 more nurses by 2024.
While there is much more to do, the progress we have made with over 27,000 more nurses now working across the NHS in England than in September 2019, is testament to the tremendous efforts being made to recruit, retain and develop more nurses, and ensure the NHS remains one of the best places in the world to work and receive care.
The 50,000 nurses target is defined as including all full-time equivalent registered nurses working in the NHS in England. This covers all NHS providers across acute, community, mental health and ambulance settings, and all those employed in general practice.
