This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Urgent action needed over falling nursing applicants
A new report has warned that the number of students starting nursing degree courses is likely to fall again this year unless the government takes urgent action.
Left to chance, published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), studies UCAS figures and shows that the current number of applications for nursing degree courses for the next academic year has fallen by a third since the same point in 2016, and by 13 per cent since last year.
The report says a nationwide government campaign is urgently needed to encourage would-be nursing students to apply before the summer in order to boost the numbers joining England’s nursing workforce in 2021. The RCN also says that the new nursing apprenticeship attracted only 30 trainees against a government ambition of 1,000 apprentices this year.
Janet Davies, RCN chief executive, said: “Nursing is a wonderful career but the government must do more to make it attractive to the tens of thousands of new nurses we need. If ministers fail, they are storing up unimaginable problems for the future. The staffing crisis must be stopped from spiralling further. Extra university places are only worthwhile if they are filled and the NHS gets a newly trained nurse. When it is haemorrhaging so many experienced people, this has never been more important.
“Five years after the warnings and lessons in the Mid Staffs report, the government is still squandering the chance to address the issue – making care failings more likely, not less. The government knows that when there aren’t enough nurses, patients can pay the very highest price. Nursing is now a graduate profession but it lacks a graduate salary that compensates for the fees paid. With fair pay and other incentives, ministers must redouble efforts to get students into nursing courses this year.”
Latest News
16/02/2024 - 12:56
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has created a new alliance intended to clean dirty air and improve residents' health.
16/02/2024 - 10:44
Two million more GP appointments a month are being delivered for patients compared to the same month before the pandemic as part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan according to new NHS data.
15/02/2024 - 10:26
The Welsh Government has provided innovation funding of £380,000 to support two projects utilising technology in domiciliary care.
15/02/2024 - 10:13
The new Scottish health secretary has met with frontline staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
14/02/2024 - 10:27
The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has appointed three new Executive Directors to the Trust Board.
Product Features
UK Building Regulations highlight toxic gas and smoke from layers of paint built up over multiple redecorations as a major cause of permanent ill health or death in a building fire.
Their concern rose with discovery the flame retardant paints most widely used paint along escape routes have been ones which to this day counter-productively use emission of heavy toxic gas to smother flames which rapidly spread along walls if layers of paint delaminate in a fire.
Supplier Profiles
Northwich’s Victoria Infirmary (VIN) Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has enabled more patients
Adveco, the commercial hot water specialist, announces the launch of live metering of domestic ho
Latest Features
Sarah Greenslade, public affairs and communications officer at the British Parking Association looks at some of the problems and innovations in healthcare parking
It’s easy to assume that the comms team is there to handle press enquiries and the occasional social media storm – but the reality is that strategic communications can make a measurable impact across the entire organisation, from operational to financial, when done properly
