Numbers of nursing students still falling short

New figures reveal that the number of students accepted onto undergraduate nursing degree courses in England is nowhere near enough to meet present and future health care demands.

UCAS data shows that England is far behind in recruiting the number of new nurses required to care for the increasing needs of patients. Even with the increase of four per cent on last year, the Royal College of Nursing is warning that this is still down by eight per cent on the numbers since 2016, the year in which the nursing bursary in England was removed.

Overall this year 1,360 fewer people have been accepted onto undergraduate nursing degree courses in England than in 2016.

The RCN argues that the reform to student funding, expected to boost student places and increase the number of nursing students in England, has failed to work leaving nearly 40,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS in England alone.

Meanwhile, the number of students accepted on to nursing degree courses in Scotland has risen by eight per cent since last year, which coincides with the country’s bursary being increased to just over £8,000. The bursary in Scotland is due to increase again in 2020, ultimately reaching £10,000 per year.

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN chief executive, said: “It is encouraging to see our future nurses being accepted onto courses and we look forward to welcoming them to the nursing workforce. The efforts of NHS England to attract more people into nursing is a positive step but today’s figures show that there will still be fewer nurses than we need entering our understaffed health and care system on completion of their courses. If we are to boost the numbers needed to give patients the care they deserve we need to see decisive action through proper and sustained investment in our nurses of the future.”